New Delhi: ICEYE, a global leader in space-based intelligence, is set to establish its first Indian production facility within the next year to manufacture small satellites for defence, surveillance and environmental monitoring.
Rafal Modrzewski, CEO and co-founder of ICEYE, said that the facility will serve as the company’s primary manufacturing hub for the Asia-Pacific region, complementing its existing operations in Europe and the US.
The company’s satellite constellations currently serve sectors ranging from defence and intelligence to insurance and emergency management. Demand for ICEYE’s technology has surged amid rising global geopolitical tensions, including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
“There is a strong alignment between what India needs and what we offer. Globally, we are seeing two key trends: increasing defence spending and rapid adoption of space-based capabilities,” Modrzewski told PTI in an interview.
“India reflects both these trends. Countries are learning from recent conflicts that space is the next frontier for intelligence and defence. We specialise in defence and intelligence, so naturally, we see India as an important market for our solutions,” he said.
Modrzewski said ICEYE specialises in defence intelligence capabilities, particularly national intelligence systems based on space-based data.
Traditionally, intelligence systems relied on multiple data sources, with space-based data being just one layer.
“Today, that is changing as space-based assets are increasingly becoming the primary source of intelligence. We manufacture small satellites at scale, which allows us to deploy large constellations quickly,” he said.
“We provide not just satellites, but also ground segment infrastructure and training to governments globally. Our customers span Europe, Japan, the Middle East, Brazil, Canada and the United States,” he added.
Declining to share the quantum of investment that ICEYE is looking to make in India, Modrzewski said the company aims to manufacture around 10 satellites in the first year and will scale it up to 20 to 40 satellites annually in the successive years.
“Investment will be significant, likely in the range of tens of millions of dollars, though exact numbers are still being finalised,” he said.
ICEYE owns the world’s most advanced SAR (synthetic aperture radar) satellite constellation and provides intelligence and surveillance services to its customers.
“Yes, it is fair to say that India could become our Asia-Pacific hub, alongside Europe and the United States,” Modrzewski said.
He said the plan is to put a supply chain and manufacturing facility in place in India within the next six to 12 months.
Modrzewski said ICEYE is keen to have a foothold in India as it represents a strong growth opportunity due to a large and highly skilled talent pool, a rapidly growing economy and increasing complexity of challenges requiring advanced intelligence solutions.
At present, ICEYE produces around 50 satellites annually and it plans to take the number beyond 100 annually by 2028.
“We are planning to deploy hundreds more satellites in the coming years
“Satellites manufactured in India will serve global markets, while also supporting local demand. We are not making our India presence dependent solely on government orders. We are committed to building here regardless of the order book,” Modrzewski said.
“We already have customers in India through our existing operations. We are in active discussions with both existing and potential customers, including government stakeholders, but cannot disclose details at this stage,” he said.
Modrzewski indicated that ICEYE is holding talks with the relevant government departments on its ambitious plan.
“We are an established company and can operate independently. However, we value open dialogue and collaboration with the government, especially where there is alignment in capabilities and priorities. So far, we have not encountered any major challenges,” he said.
The ICEYE CEO also said that the company is looking at a potential collaboration in India including with satellite launch providers such as ISRO and private players, manufacturers of electronics and other components, technology partners and players in the defence ecosystem such as drones and integrated systems.
Founded and headquartered in Finland, ICEYE operates globally with over 1,000 employees across Poland, Spain, the UK, Australia, Japan, the UAE, Greece and the US.
It has crossed approximately USD 280 million in revenue this year and is aiming to double it. “India is a priority market for us this year, and we are committed to building a strong presence here,” Modrzewski said.
Last week, ICEYE handed over MikroSAR, Poland’s sovereign radar satellite reconnaissance system, less than 12 months after contract signing.
According to publicly available data, this marks the fastest deployment of an operational satellite programme in the world.
The sovereign satellite system gives the Polish Armed Forces complete independence in satellite reconnaissance, allowing them to acquire imagery from anywhere in the world, day or night and in any weather.
Each satellite in the constellation carries a SAR radar that emits microwave pulses and turns their reflections into detailed images with a resolution as fine as 25cm.
