India’s Digantara Secures $50M for Space Missile Defense
▼ Summary
– Digantara, an Indian space surveillance startup, has raised $50 million in a new funding round to expand from space situational awareness into missile tracking and defense capabilities.
– The company is responding to increased government demand for space-based surveillance, using its own space- and ground-based infrared sensors and analytics software.
– It has launched its first surveillance satellite and established a U.S. office, securing contracts with U.S. Space Command and being selected for a U.S. Missile Defense Agency program.
– The startup operates manufacturing in India and splits its work geographically, with U.S. teams building larger satellites and Indian teams focusing on analytics and data processing.
– Digantara plans to launch 15 satellites over the next two years and expand its operations into Europe, using the new funding to support these launches and scale its manufacturing.
An Indian startup specializing in space surveillance has secured a significant $50 million investment to advance its expansion into missile tracking and defense. Digantara is shifting its focus from monitoring orbital debris to providing governments with critical early-warning capabilities against missile threats. This strategic pivot capitalizes on increasing global demand for space-based defense systems that offer faster detection than traditional ground-based radar.
The all-equity Series B funding round attracted new investors, including 360 ONE Asset and Japan’s SBI Investment, alongside serial entrepreneur Ronnie Screwvala. Existing supporters Peak XV Partners and Kalaari Capital also contributed. This infusion, arriving over two years after a $10 million Series A1 round, brings the company’s total funding to $64.5 million. The capital will fuel an ambitious satellite launch schedule and international growth.
Originally founded in 2020 with a mission of space situational awareness, the Bengaluru-based company tracked objects and debris that could endanger satellites. According to founder and CEO Anirudh Sharma, the company has now broadened its scope. It leverages the same core technology, a combination of space- and ground-based infrared sensors paired with advanced software analytics, to detect and track missiles.
The company’s evolution is marked by key milestones. Its first surveillance satellite, named SCOT (Space Camera for Object Tracking), reached orbit in January aboard a SpaceX mission. Shortly after, Digantara established a U.S. office in Colorado Springs, a move that has already yielded contracts with U.S. Space Command for analytics services. Furthermore, its American entity was selected for the Missile Defense Agency’s SHIELD program, which supports next-generation missile defense initiatives.
To navigate the complex regulations of defense procurement, Digantara has structured its operations geographically. Its U.S. team develops larger, 100-kilogram class satellites tailored to American defense requirements. Meanwhile, its Indian division concentrates on analytics, data processing, and space situational awareness work. This setup ensures sensitive systems are designed and built domestically for each national market.
The startup has already secured contracts worth approximately $25 million and operates across India, Singapore, and the United States. Plans are underway to enter the European market by establishing a local entity as early as 2026. In India, Digantara runs a manufacturing facility capable of building five satellites at once and has signed an agreement with the Andhra Pradesh government to develop a much larger site. This new facility aims to produce up to 30 satellites simultaneously next year.
Looking ahead through 2026–27, the company plans a major infrastructure expansion. This includes deploying more electro-optical and lidar satellites for space surveillance, launching space-based sensors for missile warning, and growing its network of ground observatories. Sharma also indicated the company is researching potential applications of its lidar and laser tech for future interceptor systems.
An aggressive launch campaign supports this growth. Another satellite is scheduled for a SpaceX launch in March, with additional missions planned for June and October. The company’s goal is to have a constellation of 15 satellites in orbit within the next two years. The recent funding will support these launches, with portions allocated for U.S. and European expansion, and the remainder scaling manufacturing and operations in India.
While not disclosing specific figures, Sharma noted the company’s revenue has multiplied more than tenfold over the past two years. He stated Digantara is targeting annual revenues between $25 million and $30 million within the next 18 months as defense contracts accelerate. The startup currently employs about 125 people, with the vast majority, roughly 80 to 85, being engineers.
(Source: TechCrunch)