What happens when two former ISRO scientists decide satellites should do far more than communicate or navigate? The answer is Sanyark Space. Founded by Raghava Kundrapu and Akhileshwar Reddy Peseke, the Hyderabad-based deep-tech startup is building what it believes will become the backbone of an autonomous world. By combining centimetre-level positioning, secure IoT connectivity, and software-defined satellite technology into a unified Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation, Sanyark aims to create resilient space infrastructure capable of powering everything from autonomous vehicles and smart cities to critical defence systems. For its founders, the goal is not simply to launch satellites, but to build the operating system for the next generation of connected, intelligent technologies. CE sat down with Raghava to find out what it takes to build infrastructure for a problem most people don’t even know exists.
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Could you take us through what led you to start Sanyark Space?
Before starting Sanyark, I spent eight years at ISRO, contributing to more than 40 missions, including launch vehicle and human spaceflight programmes. Throughout that period, I wanted to build something of my own, but I was searching for the right opportunity. By 2022, several startups had already entered launch vehicles, Earth observation satellites, and downstream applications, so I wanted to understand where the real gaps existed.
That led me to Deloitte, where I spent three years as a space technology consultant. Working on national and state-level projects gave me deep insights into the evolving space ecosystem. One project involved studying next-generation satellite technologies India would need to remain globally competitive. Through that work, I realised there were critical gaps in positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) infrastructure.
Another trigger was the announcement of satellite-based GNSS tolling. Large-scale implementation has remained difficult because existing navigation systems generally offer metre-level accuracy, making it hard to distinguish whether a vehicle is on a service road, flyover, or main carriageway. As I explored the issue further, it became clear that future mobility applications would require centimetre-level precision.
During this period, I met my co-founder Akhileshwar Reddy, who had worked on the government’s GNSS tolling pilot project at ISRO. Together, we recognised a growing need for sovereign navigation capabilities and a future where navigation and communication services would converge. That insight became the foundation for Sanyark’s NAVCOM vision.
Was the idea driven by technical curiosity or by a real-world problem?
The real-world problem came first. Today, India remains heavily dependent on foreign satellite infrastructure for navigation and timing services. While NAVIC represents an important step toward sovereignty, the ecosystem is still evolving.
We saw a growing gap between the capabilities required by future applications and what current systems can deliver. From consumer navigation to aviation, maritime operations, logistics, and defence, critical infrastructure depends on positioning and timing data. Building sovereign, next-generation navigation infrastructure became both a technological and strategic necessity.
How has your ISRO experience helped you build Sanyark Space?
My years at ISRO and my aerospace education at the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology gave me a strong systems-level understanding of space technologies. It helped me understand not only how individual components function but how entire ecosystems work together.
When evaluating the opportunity, the first question I asked was: if this need is so obvious, why hasn’t it already been solved? Understanding the technological challenges allowed us to assess whether achieving centimetre-level accuracy and integrated communication services was actually feasible.
At the same time, my experience at Deloitte gave me a business perspective. Technology alone is not enough; a solution must also be commercially viable. Through my work on market intelligence, fundraising support, and due diligence for space startups, I gained insights into revenue models, market opportunities, and investor expectations. The combination of technical depth and business understanding gave us the conviction to launch Sanyark.
You describe Sanyark as building a ‘space backbone.’ What does that mean in practical terms?
Most people interact with navigation every day through applications such as Google Maps, ride-hailing services, logistics platforms, and delivery networks. What many do not realise is that these services ultimately depend on satellite infrastructure.
Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) services are essential not only for transportation but also for telecommunications, financial systems, energy infrastructure, drones, maritime operations, and defence. Timing signals from satellites help synchronise 5G networks, power grids, and even financial transactions.
The challenge is that existing navigation systems are vulnerable. Navigation signals are transmitted over long distances and can be disrupted through jamming or spoofing. Recent incidents have demonstrated how easily these signals can be compromised, creating risks for aviation, transportation, and national security.
As autonomous systems become more common, resilience will become just as important as accuracy. Our goal is to build a LEO-based infrastructure layer that provides precision navigation while remaining more resistant to disruption. That is what we mean by creating a space backbone for future autonomous systems.
Many companies are building LEO constellations. How is Sanyark different?
The space industry today is heavily focused on launch vehicles and Earth observation. The next frontier is navigation and communication.
Our differentiation lies in combining both capabilities within a single satellite architecture. Navigation provides positioning, navigation, and timing services, while communication provides connectivity. Historically, these have been treated as separate domains.
We believe the future lies in integrating them. As telecommunications standards evolve toward 6G, navigation and communication are increasingly converging, both on terrestrial networks and in space. Our satellites are being designed to support that convergence.
Globally, only a handful of companies are pursuing this integrated approach. We aim to position India at the forefront of this emerging category by delivering both precision navigation and secure communication from the same platform.
Why is the fusion of PNT and communications so important?
The integration is being driven by both technology and market demand.
Almost every application that requires navigation also requires communication. Autonomous vehicles, drones, connected infrastructure, logistics networks, and industrial systems all need both capabilities simultaneously. A vehicle must know where it is, but it must also communicate that information to other vehicles, infrastructure, or cloud systems.
Advances in electronics are accelerating this convergence. Previously, navigation and communication required separate hardware. Increasingly, both functions are being integrated into compact systems-on-chip.
As the ecosystem evolves, service providers must move beyond offering isolated capabilities. The future will belong to platforms that seamlessly combine positioning, timing, and connectivity.
How do you see India’s role in the global space race, and where does Sanyark fit in?
India has already established itself as a major space power through ISRO’s achievements. The next chapter will be defined by private industry.
Since the sector opened up to private participation, Indian startups have made significant progress across launch vehicles, satellite platforms, and Earth observation technologies. Companies are increasingly competing on a global stage and winning international contracts.
Navigation and communication represent the next major opportunity. While several global players are exploring advanced PNT technologies, the gap between India and leading international players is relatively small. We see an opportunity to leapfrog rather than simply catch up.
Sanyark’s goal is to help position India as a leader in next-generation NAVCOM infrastructure while reducing dependence on foreign systems.
What does the road map ahead look like?
Our first technology demonstration satellite is planned within the next 12 months. By the end of this year, we expect to complete the satellite and begin demonstrations using high-altitude platform systems focused on navigation technologies.
A second demonstration mission is planned for 2027. The first mission will focus on navigation and defence-related payloads, while the second will demonstrate our integrated NAVCOM architecture, combining navigation and communication capabilities.
Following successful demonstrations, we plan to move into commercial deployment. The initial phase will involve a constellation of 30 to 40 satellites focused on India, the Middle East, and South Asia — regions that collectively represent significant economic activity but lack sovereign navigation capabilities.
The longer-term vision is a global constellation of 200 to 240 satellites, providing worldwide coverage. We are targeting the deployment of the first operational constellation around 2029 – 30, with full-scale expansion planned over the following years.
On the funding and validation front, we are participating in multiple national initiatives focused on strategic space technologies. We have also been selected for investment and support programmes that are helping accelerate development. Over the last six months, our primary focus has been developing proprietary signal waveforms and advancing the technology readiness of our PNT payloads. The next phase involves integrating advanced communication capabilities to realise our vision of a fully integrated NAVCOM platform.