The satellite, developed under GalaxEye’s Mission Drishti program, was launched aboard SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, carrying what industry officials described as one of India’s most advanced private Earth-imaging systems into orbit.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the launch, calling it “a major achievement” in India’s space journey and praising it as evidence of innovation-driven nation-building.“The successful launch of the world’s first OptoSAR satellite and the largest privately built satellite in India is a testament to our youth’s passion for innovation and nation-building,” Modi said in a social media post.

The spacecraft combines optical imaging with synthetic aperture radar (SAR), allowing it to capture high-resolution images in daylight and clear conditions while also using radar pulses to observe terrain through clouds, smoke and darkness.

This hybrid system is expected to improve reliability in Earth observation by enabling continuous monitoring regardless of weather or time of day, making it valuable for defense, border monitoring, agriculture, disaster management and infrastructure planning.

The satellite is expected to transmit its first observation data within the next few weeks, according to the company.Lt. Gen. A.K. Bhatt (Retd.), director general of the Indian Space Association, said the launch sets “a new benchmark for India’s private space sector.”

“It serves as a definitive proof-of-concept for India’s private space sector reforms and signals a transition from small-scale testing to sovereign, all-weather surveillance capabilities critical for national security and disaster response,” he said.

India has been working to expand private participation in its space economy as part of a broader strategy to raise its current 2% share of the estimated $450 billion global space market to nearly 8% by 2033.The country had more than 300 active space startups in 2025 across launch systems, satellite manufacturing, communications, propulsion, electronics and data analytics, reflecting rapid growth since the liberalization of the sector.

Bhatt said GalaxEye had joined a small group of global players capable of integrating optical and SAR systems on a single platform.“What stands out is not just the technology, but its broader impact on how downstream applications will increasingly define value in the space economy, particularly in Earth observation, where timely, decision-grade insights are critical,” he said.

The launch underscores India’s efforts to shift from government-led missions to a broader ecosystem where private companies play a central role in strategic and commercial space operations.

At least four petitions are scheduled to be heard on March 23, targeting amendments linked to the Digital Personal Data Protection Act that critics say weaken the country’s two-decade-old Right to Information framework.

The dispute centers on a provision excluding “personal information” from disclosure under the Right to Information Act. Previously, such information could be released if it served the public interest.

Petitioners argue the change could allow authorities to withhold key data, including details about public spending or officials involved in controversial projects, thereby undermining accountability.

Anjali Bhardwaj said the amendment could enable the government to block disclosure of information critical to public scrutiny, while activist Venkatesh Nayak described the move in court filings as a “death knell for participatory democracy.”

The government of Narendra Modi has rejected allegations that it is curbing transparency, saying the law maintains a balance between privacy rights and access to information.

IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told parliament the changes would “not restrict the disclosure of personal information” and adhere to the principle of “maximum disclosure and minimum exemptions.

”Officials have also denied broader accusations of suppressing dissent, stating that content removal orders are limited to unlawful material.

The controversy comes amid wider scrutiny of India’s transparency framework. The country’s position in a global ranking by the Centre for Law and Democracy has fallen from second place in 2013 to ninth, with researchers citing expanding exemptions under the RTI regime.

Journalists and civil society groups have expressed concern that the amended law, combined with stricter digital regulations, could affect investigative reporting and access to public-interest information.

The privacy legislation also introduces significant financial penalties for non-compliance by technology companies, adding another layer of regulatory oversight in India’s digital ecosystem.