Guwahati, August 24. 2026: The Assam government has reached the final stage of selecting a private-sector company to develop and launch its proposed satellite, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Sunday, August 23, 2026.
The project, named ‘AssamSAT’, is being planned under the DBLOTT model
Design, Build, Launch, Operate, Train and Transfer. According to CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, the state had earlier invited Expressions of Interest (EoI) from potential implementation partners, receiving strong interest from companies operating in India’s growing private space sector.
“Earlier this year, we invited Expressions of Interest to select an implementation partner under the DBLOTT model,” CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said in a social media post.
He added that the selection process has now entered its final and crucial phase, with dedicated committees assessing the proposals submitted by the participating companies.
CM Himanta Biswa Sarma described AssamSAT as a significant step for the state’s use of space technology. He said the initiative would move Assam beyond simply using satellite-based information and make it an active participant in the space-tech ecosystem.
According to the CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, the satellite is expected to provide faster and more reliable data that can support evidence-based decision-making and improve governance across various sectors.
The Assam government had first announced plans for its own satellite while presenting the state Budget for 2025-26. Then Finance Minister Ajanta Neog had said the proposed satellite would provide a continuous and dependable source of data for implementing important socio-economic projects.
The state had also proposed working with the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), under the Department of Space, Government of India, for the development of AssamSAT.
The satellite is expected to have applications in several key areas, including agriculture, disaster management, infrastructure planning, border security and police operations.
The project is also aimed at encouraging students and young people in Assam to take an interest in space technology. The earlier budget announcement had proposed involving students in the development of experimental satellites with support from IN-SPACe and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
If implemented as planned, AssamSAT could give the state dedicated access to earth observation data and help authorities make quicker decisions based on real-time and region-specific information.
