PARIS - Eutelsat, Europe's largest satellite internet provider, is in advanced discussions with India's space agency ISRO to expand future launch capabilities. The move comes as the company seeks alternatives beyond SpaceX and Europe's Ariane rockets.
CEO Jean-François Fallacher confirmed the talks during a recent visit to New Delhi as part of President Emmanuel Macron’s delegation. No formal agreement has been reached.
India aims to grow its domestic space economy to $44 billion by 2033, shifting routine operations to private firms while ISRO focuses on research and exploration.
Eutelsat merged with UK-based OneWeb in 2023. Together, they operate over 650 satellites and plan to exceed 1,000 soon. Airbus is building 440 new satellites for deployment by 2030.
Fallacher emphasized that Eutelsat is financially stable through 2031 after securing €5 billion in funding last year, making the French state its largest shareholder.
"We are preparing for the future," he said. "Launch capacity needs to be arranged well in advance."
Eutelsat expects to invest roughly €2 billion in satellite procurement and launches by 2030, which typically account for 30-40% of program costs. The company downplayed comparisons with Starlink’s larger network, noting orbital altitude reduces satellite requirements.