Space and defence technology startup Sisir Radar has raised $7 million in a Series A funding round led by 360 ONE Asset, with participation from Shastra VC, as it looks to develop and deploy privately built radar satellites using indigenous technology.
The company said the funding will support its plans to launch what it describes as India’s first privately developed L-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite, aimed at providing high-resolution imagery that can be captured regardless of weather conditions, cloud cover or time of day.
The company operates in a segment of the space industry that has gained strategic importance as governments and commercial users seek persistent Earth observation capabilities.
Unlike optical satellites, SAR systems use radar signals to generate images, allowing them to see through clouds, smoke and darkness. Lower-frequency L- and P-band radars also offer the ability to penetrate vegetation and shallow ground layers, making them useful in regions with dense foliage or frequent monsoons.
Sisir Radar develops radar systems
The company said it has developed high-resolution radar systems in these lower-frequency bands, an area where private companies globally have had limited success due to technical complexity and cost.
Sisir Radar said its systems achieve resolution levels significantly higher than typical benchmarks in L- and P-band imaging.
Founded by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientist Tapan Misra, Sisir Radar builds on expertise developed during India’s first SAR satellite mission, RISAT.
Misra spent four decades at ISRO and previously served as director of the Space Applications Centre, which focuses on satellite-based services for civilian and strategic use.
India has in recent years encouraged private participation in the space sector, opening launch services, satellite manufacturing and downstream applications to startups and investors.
Radar-based Earth observation is seen as a sensitive but high-value segment, particularly as country seeks to reduce reliance on foreign data sources for defence and security-related applications.
Sisir Radar said it has already won two government-backed iDEX challenges to develop specialised SAR satellites for the Indian Air Force and is working with defence and industrial partners to adapt its technology for multiple platforms, including spaceborne and airborne systems.
Abhishek Nag, who heads early-stage venture capital at 360 ONE Asset, said space-based radar has become “core sovereignty infrastructure” for countries focused on border security and climate resilience.
Shastra VC, which invested in the company at the seed stage, said it chose to increase its stake as Sisir Radar continued to demonstrate progress in translating complex radar engineering into deployable systems.
The startup said the new funding would allow it to move from prototype development to orbital deployment, expand research and development and scale its engineering team. It did not disclose a timeline for the satellite launch or its current valuation.
