New Delhi: Addressing recent media reports on the ‘Zero Bid’ in the government’s public-private partnership (PPP) programme for Earth Observation (EO-PPP) satellite constellation, Pixxel Space CEO Awais Ahmed has issued a detailed clarification on why the consortium opted for a self-funded approach in the ₹1,200 crore project.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Ahmed explained that under the PPP structure, the winning bidder was required to fund the bulk of the project cost. The ₹350 crore offered by the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) was to be extended as a loan, repayable after the constellation was operational and generating revenue.
“Since the investment, ownership of the satellites, and data rights would remain with the consortium, the difference between a zero bid, a ₹97 crore bid, or a slightly higher bid for a loan was marginal in the overall ₹1,200+ crore execution,” he stated.
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Zero Bid: Strategic Decision
The Zero Bid was a strategic decision to ensure that the project _ considered critical for India’s data sovereignty – would be carried out by a team with proven expertise. “We decided we would not be outbid for it, especially given our strong technical proposal, which includes capabilities that will be realised for the first time globally,” Ahmed said.
The winning consortium – Pixxel, SatSure, PierSight, and Dhruva Space – will deploy 12 satellites over the next four years:
- Pixxel: 5 very high-resolution (VHR) and 2 hyperspectral satellites
- SatSure: 2 multispectral satellites
- PierSight: 2 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites
- Dhruva Space: subsystems and ground infrastructure support
Ahmed highlighted that these satellites were already part of the consortium’s roadmap and would have been built regardless of the PPP, with the programme offering a more formalised structure.
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Pixxel has raised $95 million to date, with other consortium partners also securing significant funding. Pixxel’s existing commercial Firefly satellites are already in orbit, delivering data to global clients.
Describing the bid as a show of confidence in both India’s and the global data markets, Ahmed credited the IN-SPACe team and the Indian government for trusting startups with such a strategic initiative. “We will not let the country down. To execution now,” he concluded.
