910
11 days ago
Centre Ropes In Spacetech Startups To Build ‘Bodyguard’ Satellites
Summary
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Stay ahead with the latest news, funding, startup financials, & governments policies on the hottest tech industries in the Indian startup ecosystem.
Get featured, partner or work with India's #1 startup media & intelligence platform and explore what else Inc42 has to offer.
D2CX by Inc42 is a 12-week hands-on program to help you level up your D2C game. Learn from India's top 1% D2C founders and experts through actionable insights, proven strategies and tactics on how to 10X your D2C brand.
ManagementX by Inc42 – India’s first Startup Management Program is a 6-month hands-on program that will take you on an intense journey that shatters the outdated “employee mindset” and equips you with the “leader mindset”.
D2CX Foundations by Inc42 is a 6 week hands-on program to help you launch your D2C brand successfully and profitably. Learn from India’s top 1% of D2C founders & experts through actionable insights, proven strategies and tactics on how to launch a successful D2C Brand in 6 weeks.
Indian security agencies have reportedly proposed a project to deeptech and spacetech startups to develop ‘bodyguard’ satellites
The discussions between the government and startups are in advanced stages with plans to launch their first test satellite by June this year
Bodyguard satellites are designed to safeguard high-value satellites—such as military, communication, or reconnaissance satellites—from threats in orbit
With the concentrating geopolitical tensions, the Indian security agencies have reportedly proposed a project to deeptech and spacetech startups to develop ‘bodyguard’ satellites that can protect the country’s space assets.
As per a report by Bloomberg, discussions between the government and startups are in advanced stages with plans to launch their first test satellite by June this year. After initial trials, additional launches are planned for late 2026 or early 2027. Once the technology is validated, the government is expected to procure and scale the system, paving the way for the deployment of more such defensive units.
Inc42 reached out to space companies like Galaxeye, Agnikul and Dhruva Space on this front, while IN-SPACe declined to respond to our queries.
For context, bodyguard satellites are protective spacecraft designed to safeguard high-value satellites—such as military, communication, or reconnaissance satellites—from threats in orbit. They monitor surrounding space to detect suspicious objects or hostile satellites attempting interference, jamming or physical attacks.
If a threat is identified, a bodyguard satellite can track and warn the protected satellite, or sometimes manoeuvre to block or deter the intruder. The concept is gaining attention as space becomes increasingly contested, particularly among major space powers that rely heavily on satellites for navigation, surveillance, and communications.
As more countries develop anti-satellite (ASAT) capabilities and satellite-inspection technologies, the risk of interference, jamming, or physical tampering increases. Bodyguard satellites could monitor nearby objects, detect suspicious manoeuvres, and help deter or respond to potential threats to key strategic defence satellites.
This would add another layer to the regulatory push in promoting homegrown spacetech capabilities.
Centre has been highly focussed on grooming India’s space industry with the operationalisation of the INR 1,000 Cr Antariksh Venture Capital Fund (AVCF), managed by SIDBI, which marked its first close at INR 1,005 Cr back in November 2025.
“Space technology is increasingly becoming a part of governance in India—be it satellite-based assessments in crop insurance schemes, satellite-enabled information and safety for fishermen, disaster management efforts, or the use of geospatial data in the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during his speech on National Space Day in 2025.
Further, the spacetech sector has been seeing a surge in investors’ interest in the past year, and funding in this industry rose 94% to $157 Mn from $81 Mn in 2024, based on Inc42’s Annual Indian Startup Trends Report, 2025.
Prominent investors such as Peak XV Partners, Kalaari Capital, SBI Investment and 360 ONE Asset were actively on the lookout for viable bets in the space over the past year.
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ManagementX by Inc42 – India’s first Startup Management Program is a 6-month hands-on program that will take you on an intense journey that shatters the outdated “employee mindset” and equips you with the “leader mindset”.
D2CX Foundations by Inc42 is a 6 week hands-on program to help you launch your D2C brand successfully and profitably. Learn from India’s top 1% of D2C founders & experts through actionable insights, proven strategies and tactics on how to launch a successful D2C Brand in 6 weeks.
Stay ahead with the latest news, funding, startup financials, & governments policies on the hottest tech industries in the Indian startup ecosystem.
Get featured, partner or work with India's #1 startup media & intelligence platform and explore what else Inc42 has to offer.
Stay ahead with the latest news, funding, startup financials, & governments policies on the hottest tech industries in the Indian startup ecosystem.
Get featured, partner or work with India's #1 startup media & intelligence platform and explore what else Inc42 has to offer.
D2CX by Inc42 is a 12-week hands-on program to help you level up your D2C game. Learn from India's top 1% D2C founders and experts through actionable insights, proven strategies and tactics on how to 10X your D2C brand.
ManagementX by Inc42 – India’s first Startup Management Program is a 6-month hands-on program that will take you on an intense journey that shatters the outdated “employee mindset” and equips you with the “leader mindset”.
D2CX Foundations by Inc42 is a 6 week hands-on program to help you launch your D2C brand successfully and profitably. Learn from India’s top 1% of D2C founders & experts through actionable insights, proven strategies and tactics on how to launch a successful D2C Brand in 6 weeks.
Indian security agencies have reportedly proposed a project to deeptech and spacetech startups to develop ‘bodyguard’ satellites
The discussions between the government and startups are in advanced stages with plans to launch their first test satellite by June this year
Bodyguard satellites are designed to safeguard high-value satellites—such as military, communication, or reconnaissance satellites—from threats in orbit
With the concentrating geopolitical tensions, the Indian security agencies have reportedly proposed a project to deeptech and spacetech startups to develop ‘bodyguard’ satellites that can protect the country’s space assets.
As per a report by Bloomberg, discussions between the government and startups are in advanced stages with plans to launch their first test satellite by June this year. After initial trials, additional launches are planned for late 2026 or early 2027. Once the technology is validated, the government is expected to procure and scale the system, paving the way for the deployment of more such defensive units.
Inc42 reached out to space companies like Galaxeye, Agnikul and Dhruva Space on this front, while IN-SPACe declined to respond to our queries.
For context, bodyguard satellites are protective spacecraft designed to safeguard high-value satellites—such as military, communication, or reconnaissance satellites—from threats in orbit. They monitor surrounding space to detect suspicious objects or hostile satellites attempting interference, jamming or physical attacks.
If a threat is identified, a bodyguard satellite can track and warn the protected satellite, or sometimes manoeuvre to block or deter the intruder. The concept is gaining attention as space becomes increasingly contested, particularly among major space powers that rely heavily on satellites for navigation, surveillance, and communications.
As more countries develop anti-satellite (ASAT) capabilities and satellite-inspection technologies, the risk of interference, jamming, or physical tampering increases. Bodyguard satellites could monitor nearby objects, detect suspicious manoeuvres, and help deter or respond to potential threats to key strategic defence satellites.
This would add another layer to the regulatory push in promoting homegrown spacetech capabilities.
Centre has been highly focussed on grooming India’s space industry with the operationalisation of the INR 1,000 Cr Antariksh Venture Capital Fund (AVCF), managed by SIDBI, which marked its first close at INR 1,005 Cr back in November 2025.
“Space technology is increasingly becoming a part of governance in India—be it satellite-based assessments in crop insurance schemes, satellite-enabled information and safety for fishermen, disaster management efforts, or the use of geospatial data in the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during his speech on National Space Day in 2025.
Further, the spacetech sector has been seeing a surge in investors’ interest in the past year, and funding in this industry rose 94% to $157 Mn from $81 Mn in 2024, based on Inc42’s Annual Indian Startup Trends Report, 2025.
Prominent investors such as Peak XV Partners, Kalaari Capital, SBI Investment and 360 ONE Asset were actively on the lookout for viable bets in the space over the past year.
Unlock special offers and join 10,000+ founders, investors & operators staying ahead in India’s startup economy.
Unleash your potential by exploring unlimited articles, trackers, and playbooks. Identify the
hottest startup deals, supercharge your innovation projects, and stay updated with expert
curation.
Empower yourself with comprehensive playbooks, expert analysis, and invaluable insights. Learn
to validate ideas, acquire customers, secure funding, and navigate the journey to startup
success.
Access 75+ in-depth reports on frontier industries. Gain exclusive market intelligence,
understand market landscapes, and decode emerging trends to make informed decisions.
Stay ahead with startup and funding trackers. Analyse investment strategies, profile successful
investors, and keep track of upcoming funds, accelerators, and more.
Join a community of 10,000+ leaders & operators – unlock unlimited access to Inc42 stories,
videos, deals, member-only perks, and more.
Unlock unlimited access to 500+ monthly new stories and Inc42’s complete archive of
40,000+ stories.
Unlock unlimited access to 500+ monthly new stories and Inc42’s complete archive of
40,000+ stories.
Over $250,000 worth deals on software & tools to help your business scale up.
Network with industry leaders & operators with exclusive invites to Inc42’s
member-only virtual events
Enjoy an ad-free and clutter-free
experience as a member, focus on
what really matters to you
Your contribution will go on to
support and empower our unbiased
& data-driven journalism
Join 1000's of entrepreneurs, business leaders & makers and stay ahead with our sharp,
incisive & data-driven analysis on India’s tech and startup economy!
Unlock personalised stories, ad-lite reading, and exclusive newsletters on Inc42.
Tired Of Playing Catchup On Indian Tech?
Stay Ahead. Every Morning at 8
Get The Week’s Most Consequential Developments.
Inc42 In-Depth is your daily 9 PM newsletter with sharp insights from India’s startup economy.
Inc42 Moneyball is your Thursday newsletter on India’s venture capital trends. 4 PM sharp.
Inc42 Markets is your weekly newsletter on tech IPOs & startup stocks. Every Sunday
get access to a list of 200+ family offices betting big on startups
Get access to a list of Alma Mater Of India's Unicorn & Soonicorn Founders
Explore 75,000+ startups, 3,500+ investors, 25,000+ funding rounds and more. Build shortlists and export them instantly.
Login or create a free account to continue reading in private mode.
AI Description
The article discusses a new initiative by Indian security agencies to engage spacetech startups in developing 'bodyguard' satellites. This project aims to enhance national security through advanced satellite technology.