Agnikul, ICEYE partnership to explore India-built radar satellite capability
Under the proposed partnership, ICEYE would explore manufacturing SAR satellites in India, while Agnikul would provide indigenous launch services.
Spacetech company Agnikul Cosmos and Finnish satellite operator ICEYE have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore developing, launching and operating synthetic aperture radar (SAR), Earth observation systems from India.
The proposed collaboration highlights a wider push to strengthen domestic capabilities in satellite manufacturing, launch services and space-based intelligence while reducing dependence on overseas supply chains.
Under the proposed partnership, ICEYE would explore manufacturing SAR satellites in India, while Agnikul would provide indigenous launch services. The companies also plan to examine a repeatable model that combines satellite production, launch and operations for long-term programmes and international customers.
Srinath Ravichandran, co-founder and chief executive officer of Agnikul Cosmos, said the partnership aims to address a long-standing gap in India’s commercial space ecosystem.
“Previously, building and launching a satellite system privately in India mostly meant piecing together foreign technology and waiting on timelines that we as a nation did not control. This partnership aims to change that equation. Applications such as disaster response, sensitive area monitoring and security are national priorities,” he noted.
ICEYE, headquartered in Finland, operates one of the world’s largest SAR satellite constellations and says it has supplied sovereign satellite capabilities to several European governments.
ICEYE co-founder and chief executive officer Rafał Modrzewski said growing global demand for sovereign intelligence capabilities is making long-term partnerships increasingly important.
“India is an important market for us as demand for sovereign intelligence capabilities continues to grow globally. Partnerships built around speed, reliability and long-term execution are becoming increasingly important in these times and this is what we seek to build with Agnikul,” Modrzewski added.
The announcement comes as India’s commercial space industry expands following reforms introduced since 2020, including the creation of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), which enables greater private sector participation.
Companies such as Agnikul and Skyroot Aerospace have emerged alongside established players, while Earth observation has become one of the fastest-growing commercial space segments because governments and businesses increasingly require frequent monitoring of infrastructure, climate events and security.
Founded in Chennai in 2017 and incubated at IIT Madras, Agnikul completed the maiden flight of its Agnibaan SOrTeD demonstrator in 2024 from India’s first private launchpad, testing its single-piece 3D-printed semi-cryogenic engine.
(With inputs from PTI)