India’s space technology startup Digantara Industries has entered into an agreement with Singapore’s defence arm to develop tools aimed at protecting national satellites from collisions with space debris. The partnership focuses on strengthening Space Situational Awareness (SSA) capabilities to ensure safer and more sustainable satellite operations.

Bengaluru-based Digantara Industries said this is the first time Singapore’s defence arm has signed an agreement with an Indian space-tech company. Under the agreement, Digantara will work closely with Singapore’s Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) to co-develop tools that will support the National Space Agency of Singapore in monitoring and managing space objects.

Speaking about the collaboration, Anirudh Sharma, founder and CEO of Digantara Industries, highlighted the importance of sovereign control in the solutions being developed. “The most important thing is that we provide them sovereign control to the solutions we build for them, which means the Singapore government can locally deploy and use our solutions to achieve their space domain awareness operations or needs that can be both for operations of satellites,” Sharma told PTI.

The partnership was announced on the sidelines of the Space Summit 2026 held in Singapore on Monday. According to Sharma, Digantara will provide a range of services to DSTA, particularly in areas related to flight dynamics and conjunction screening. This will help in identifying situations where a Singapore satellite may be approaching an orbiting piece of space debris.

“This service of ours will help them get the alerts and do sustainable space operations without having to worry about collisions in space,” Sharma said, explaining how the tools will assist in preventing potential accidents in orbit.

A key part of the agreement also involves the integration of Digantara’s sensor data with AI-driven analytics. This integration is expected to improve the accuracy and effectiveness of tracking satellites and space debris. The use of artificial intelligence will allow for better analysis of large volumes of data collected through space-based and ground-based sensors.

Sharma also said that Singapore is keen to explore advanced space-based SSA capabilities. “The Singapore government is very keen on exploring how we do space-based Space Situational Awareness and also being part of one of our upcoming missions where they’ll be involved in assembly integration and testing of one of these space-based sensors that eventually will be part of Singapore’s broader space strategy,” he said.

Through this collaboration, Singapore will be involved not only in using the developed tools but also in the technical processes related to upcoming missions. This includes participation in assembly, integration, and testing of space-based sensors that will contribute to Singapore’s long-term space plans.

Digantara sees this agreement as a strategic opportunity to expand its presence in the Asia-Pacific region. Sharma said Singapore could serve as an important entry point for the company to reach other markets in Asia. “Working with the Singapore government will also enable us to access other Asian markets like South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand and other countries. So, I think that is a good gateway for us to expand as a company to the broader Asia-Pacific,” he said.

In a statement, Digantara said that both parties will leverage the company’s expertise in space-based and ground-based sensing infrastructure. The focus will be on the development, testing, and evaluation of software applications that enhance satellite tracking capabilities. These efforts aim to improve the overall accuracy and effectiveness of monitoring objects in orbit.

“The collaboration aims to provide a more comprehensive view of Singapore’s satellites that supports the safety and long-term operability in an increasingly congested orbital environment,” the statement said.

With the growing number of satellites and space debris in Earth’s orbit, the partnership highlights the increasing importance of international cooperation in space safety. By combining technological expertise and shared objectives, Digantara and Singapore’s defence agency aim to support sustainable and secure space operations without changing the existing framework or intent outlined in the original agreement.