Partnership · Government, Defense & Space

Dhruva Space wins €5M satellite contracts, signs MoU with Thales Alenia

By Startup Enthusiast · 10 September 2026

What they do

Dhruva Space builds satellites, subsystems and ground stations for defence and commercial use

It signed contracts worth over €5 million with Safran Space for 275 satellites and a tripartite MoU with Thales Alenia Space

The deals strengthen India-France space ties and position Dhruva as a key supplier for India's SBS-III surveillance constellation

Dhruva Space and Safran Space signed contracts worth more than €5 million for building 275 satellites.
The announcement was made at the two-day International Space Summit in Paris, which ended on 9 September 2026.
Safran Space contracted Dhruva Space for communication systems, inertial navigation units, optical payloads and ground stations for India's SBS-III project.
SBS-III is a 52-satellite space-surveillance constellation for real-time, all-weather intelligence across India's borders and the Indian Ocean Region.
The Cabinet Committee on Security approved SBS-III in October 2024 with a budget of ₹26,968 crore.
Of the 52 satellites, 21 will be built by ISRO and the rest by domestic private sector companies.
Dhruva Space also entered a tripartite MoU with Thales Alenia Space (France and Italy) for strategic cooperation across satellite programmes and space infrastructure.
The MoU covers LEO satellite constellations, satellite platforms and subsystems, satellite series production and integration, ground stations, manned space infrastructure and cargo services.

Dhruva Space made an ITU filing earlier in 2026 for a 275-satellite constellation, matching the number in the Safran contract.
The ITU operates a first-come, first-served registry system for radio frequencies and orbital slots, so early filing is critical.
Dhruva Space is building a 280,000 sq ft AIT facility in Shamshabad, Hyderabad since 2023.
Earlier in 2026, Dhruva Space was awarded the Satellite Bus as a Service Program and Global Ground Station Network under EO-PPP by IN-SPACe.
Hervé Derrey, CEO of Thales Alenia Space, co-inaugurated Dhruva Space's Class 100,000 cleanroom in Hyderabad in October 2024.

Dhruva Space is a full-stack space engineering company based in Hyderabad.
It builds satellites, satellite subsystems, ground stations and provides space infrastructure services.
It is building a 280,000 sq ft assembly, integration and test (AIT) facility in Shamshabad, Hyderabad since 2023.
The company's cleanroom in Hyderabad is Class 100,000 and is used for space-grade solar arrays and AIT of spacecraft up to 500 kg.
Dhruva Space was awarded the Satellite Bus as a Service Program and Global Ground Station Network under EO-PPP by IN-SPACe earlier in 2026.

Product: Full-stack space engineering across spacecraft engineering, launch integration, ground station infrastructure, and space applications.
Customers: Satellite and space-sector customers, including commercial and institutional buyers.
How it makes money: Earns revenue from space hardware, systems integration, and related services.
What sets it apart: Offers end-to-end space capabilities across the full value chain.
Operations: Designs, integrates, and supplies satellite systems and related infrastructure from Hyderabad.