LatConnect 60 Secures Indian Ground Support and Market
Australian satellite firm LatConnect 60 announced two Indian partnerships at the Bengaluru Space Expo 2026, securing NSIL ground station support for its
Australian Earth observation company LatConnect 60 has signed two strategic agreements in India, strengthening both the operational backbone and commercial prospects for its upcoming SWIRSAT satellite constellation. The deals with NewSpace India Limited and GeoSyze EO Solutions were announced on September 7th at the Bengaluru Space Expo 2026.
NewSpace India Limited, the commercial arm of India's space program, will provide telemetry, tracking, and command services for LatConnect 60's first two satellites. According to NSIL, the SWIRSAT-1 and SWIRSAT-2 spacecraft are scheduled for launch in the first and second quarters of 2027, respectively.
This partnership grants LatConnect 60 access to NSIL's ground-station infrastructure within India. The company stated this will support mission operations and satellite data downlink requirements, adding a key Indian node to the ground network supporting the SWIRSAT constellation. The signing ceremony was attended by Australian High Commissioner to India Philip Green OAM, alongside representatives from the Australian High Commission, Austrade India, the Australian Space Agency, and Western Australia's Invest and Trade office in India.
A Channel to the Indian Defence Market
In a separate agreement, LatConnect 60 entered a strategic partnership with GeoSyze EO Solutions LLP, an Indian geospatial technology firm. GeoSyze has experience in satellite data, geospatial intelligence, and analytics for defence, security, and intelligence applications.
Under this arrangement, GeoSyze will act as a strategic consultant and channel partner. Its role will be to explore and help the delivery of LatConnect 60's Earth observation datasets, future SWIR products, and advanced analytics into the Indian defence market. This provides a direct pathway for the Australian company's intelligence products to reach one of the Indo-Pacific's largest defence and geospatial intelligence markets.
The SWIRSAT Constellation Roadmap
These agreements coincide with LatConnect 60's accelerated development of its short-wave infrared Earth observation constellation. The Perth-based company's roadmap outlines a build-up to an 18-satellite constellation by 2029. A longer-term pathway aims for a fleet of more than 100 satellites by 2035.
LatConnect 60 is developing SWIRSAT as part of a vertically integrated architecture. This combines satellite collection, ground infrastructure, data processing, and AI-enabled analytics tailored for defence, agriculture, resources, maritime, and environmental applications. The company owns its AI models and satellite technology.
Strategic Importance of the Indian Agreements
The dual announcements position India as a significant operational and commercial hub within LatConnect 60's global strategy. The NSIL agreement connects the upcoming constellation to established Indian space infrastructure. Simultaneously, the GeoSyze partnership opens a channel to a major regional market for satellite-derived intelligence.
The agreements were unveiled on the opening day of the Bengaluru Space Expo, which runs from September 7 to 9. The event is organised by CII in partnership with the Indian Space Research Organisation, IN-SPACe, and NSIL.
