For decades, the cloud expanded across continents. Now, it is preparing to expand beyond the planet.
Chennai-based AgniKul Cosmos has partnered with NeevCloud to host an AI data centre in space, marking a turning point for India’s space and cloud industries. The collaboration positions AgniKul alongside global players experimenting with orbital infrastructure and signals the emergence of space as the next compute frontier.
Srinath Ravichandran, co-founder and CEO of AgniKul Cosmos, told TNIE, “The patented upper stage of the rocket; Agnibaan, can be doubled up as a platform. This is a technology we have developed.”
The partnership allows AgniKul to transform its patented extendable upper stage into a hosting platform for AI workloads in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). NeevCloud will deploy its AI SuperCloud module on this platform and run real-time inference applications in space.
This initiative marks the first time an Indian company is developing an orbit-based data centre and offering a patented rocket architecture as a satellite bus for compute infrastructure.
From Launch Provider to Orbital Compute Enabler
AgniKul’s move reflects a strategic shift from launch services toward integrated orbital infrastructure. The company now targets a new category of customers that need compute capabilities beyond terrestrial limits.
Ravichandran told TNIE, “Typically, we thought that majority of our customers would be from imaging and communications side. But now, we can create a new class of customers as we can lend our upper stage of the vehicle to store data.”
The deal creates a new revenue stream for AgniKul through launch and on-orbit services. Customers can deploy AI workloads without designing satellites, reducing complexity and cost.
Ravichandran confirmed that the contract will be multi-mission and multi-year, extending three to four years. AgniKul will prototype the proof of concept in 2026, while the first deployment of the orbital data centre module is expected in mid-2027.
Orbital AI: From Experiment to Infrastructure Strategy
NeevCloud is among the first enterprises testing AI inference and cloud workloads on AgniKul’s extendable upper-stage platforms. AgniKul plans to deploy a fleet of orbital assets with AI stacks that form modular Space Data Center Modules (SDCMs).
The partnership aligns with NeevCloud’s ambition to scale its AI SuperCloud network to more than 600 orbital edge data centres within three years. If achieved, the network could reshape latency-sensitive AI workloads across defence, remote connectivity, climate monitoring, and border intelligence.
Narendra Sen, Founder & CEO of NeevCloud, said, “We are not just building a data center in space, we are building an entirely new layer of orbital inferencing infrastructure. To truly democratize AI, we must decouple it from terrestrial limitations. By partnering with Agnikul, we are taking our AI SuperCloud to the ultimate orbit edge – space. This partnership ensures access to the AI infrastructure that powers the next decade of global intelligence, low-latency AI not just to our cities, but to every village and border post, AI for all.”
Why Orbital Compute Matters Now
The timing of this move reflects structural pressures on terrestrial data centres. Energy constraints, land scarcity, latency demands, and geopolitical risks increasingly limit the scalability of ground-based infrastructure.
Orbital compute introduces a radically different architecture. AI workloads can operate closer to satellites, sensors, and remote regions, reducing latency and bypassing terrestrial bottlenecks. At the same time, launch providers can monetise space assets beyond traditional payload deployment.
For India’s space ecosystem, the collaboration signals a strategic leap. Instead of competing only on launch costs, companies like AgniKul now compete on infrastructure innovation.
The Strategic Implication for Global Cloud and Space
The AgniKul–NeevCloud partnership suggests that the future of cloud computing will not remain confined to Earth. As AI models demand faster inference, global coverage, and resilient infrastructure, orbital data centres could evolve from experimental projects into core components of the digital economy. More importantly, this development reframes space not as a destination but as a computing layer.
If successful, India’s first orbital AI data centre may mark the beginning of a new era—where compute becomes planetary, latency becomes orbital, and the cloud becomes a space-based infrastructure stack.
