The hum of servers filled the Digantara engineering lab in Bangalore, a low thrum punctuated by the staccato clicks of keyboards. It was December 16, 2025, and the team was deep in thermal testing, simulating the extreme conditions their sensors would face in orbit. The stakes were high: Digantara, a space-tech startup, had just announced a $50 million funding round, bringing their total raised to $64.5 million.
This latest infusion of capital is earmarked for developing advanced space-based missile defense technology. The company’s vision involves a constellation of satellites capable of tracking and potentially intercepting missiles, a capability that has obvious appeal in a world increasingly concerned with geopolitical instability. The funding will accelerate the development of their proprietary sensors and data analytics platforms.
“We are building a comprehensive space situational awareness platform,” explains Anirudh Sharma, Digantara’s CEO, in a call with investors. “Our goal is to provide real-time, actionable intelligence to protect critical infrastructure from space-based threats.” The company’s roadmap includes a phased deployment, with initial sensor prototypes expected to launch by late 2026. Full operational capability is targeted for 2027. This ambitious timeline puts pressure on the engineering team, especially given the global supply chain constraints affecting the procurement of specialized components.
The market for space-based defense is projected to reach $15 billion by 2030, according to a recent report from Northern Sky Research. The report highlights the growing demand for technologies that can detect and track hypersonic missiles, a capability that Digantara is actively pursuing. This demand is driven by the increasing sophistication of missile technology and the escalating geopolitical tensions worldwide.
One of the biggest challenges Digantara faces, besides the technical hurdles, is navigating the complex regulatory environment surrounding space-based defense. Export controls, particularly those imposed by the United States on advanced technologies, could impact the company’s ability to source critical components. And of course, the ever-present shadow of manufacturing capacity, with the world’s most advanced chip foundries operating at full capacity. The supply chain is a headache.
“The Indian government’s push for domestic procurement is a significant advantage,” notes Rahul Bhatia, an analyst at a Mumbai-based investment firm. “Digantara is well-positioned to benefit from this, but they must still compete on price and performance.”
The engineering team is already working on the next generation of sensors, with the M300 series slated for 2027. The company is betting on its ability to deliver on time, or maybe that’s how the supply shock reads from here. The pressure is on, and the clock is ticking, but inside the lab, the work continues, one line of code, one thermal test, one satellite at a time.
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