India’s Digantara Raises $50M for Space-Based Missile Defense Tech

Digantara, an Indian space surveillance startup, has raised $50 million in a Series B funding round as it expands its offerings from space situational awareness to missile tracking. The company cites rising government demand for space-based defence capabilities, particularly as missile launches and satellite interference become more frequent.

The all-equity round saw participation from new investors, including 360 ONE Asset, SBI Investment of Japan, and serial entrepreneur Ronnie Screwvala. Existing backers, including Peak XV Partners and Kalaari Capital, also participated in the funding round. This brings the total capital raised by Digantara to $64.5 million, following its $10 million Series A1 round two years ago.

The global trend of governments investing heavily in space-based surveillance and early-warning systems is driven by the growing need for faster detection methods than traditional ground-based radar can offer. Digantara aims to capitalise on this demand by combining its space- and ground-based infrared sensors with software analytics and intelligence for missile detection.

Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Bengaluru, Digantara initially focused on space situational awareness, tracking debris and objects that could damage satellites. The startup has since expanded its capabilities to include missile detection and tracking, leveraging its existing space-based sensing technologies. CEO Anirudh Sharma shared that the company’s first satellite, SCOT (Space Camera for Object Tracking), launched in January aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-12 mission, enabling space-to-space observation.

In line with its push into the U.S. defence market, Digantara also opened an office in Colorado Springs, resulting in contracts with U.S. Space Command for analytics-as-a-service. The startup’s U.S. entity has been selected for the Missile Defence Agency’s SHIELD contract vehicle, which supports next-generation missile defence programs.

“We’ve already built IR sensors, and now we’re extending our IR capabilities to mid- and long-wave infrared domains,” Sharma told TechCrunch.

Digantara’s operations are divided across two regions. In the U.S., the team is focused on building larger satellites and spacecraft tailored to American defence needs. In contrast, the India operation focuses on analytics, data processing, and space situational awareness. The division allows the company to meet the national security requirements of each market.

To date, Digantara has secured contracts worth about $25 million. The company operates in India, Singapore, and the U.S., and plans to expand into Europe by 2026. The startup’s 25,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in India can produce up to five satellites simultaneously. Digantara also intends to scale its capacity and has signed an MoU with the Andhra Pradesh state government to establish a larger facility capable of producing up to 30 satellites simultaneously.

Digantara is the winning bidder for several government defence tenders in India and is in the final stages of administrative formalities before work begins. Through 2026–27, the company plans to expand its space- and ground-based infrastructure, including additional electro-optical and lidar satellites, space-based sensors for missile warning and tracking, and a more extensive ground-based observatory network. The startup is also exploring the potential use of lidar and laser technologies for interceptor systems.

Digantara plans to launch additional satellites through SpaceX in March, June, and October, with a total of 15 satellites slated for deployment over the next two years. The new funding will support these launches, with approximately $7 million to $10 million allocated to U.S. expansion and $2 million to $3 million to establish operations in Europe. The remaining funds will scale operations and manufacturing in India.

The company has seen revenue growth of more than 10x over the past two years. It is targeting $25 million to $30 million in annual revenue over the next 18 months as its defence and government contracts grow. Digantara currently employs around 125 people, including 80–85 engineers.