India, Europe Geopolitically Aligned, Says ICEYE CEO at Defence Summit
ICEYE CEO Rafal Modrzewski says India and Europe share aligned geopolitical interests and that his firm is eyeing a technology hub in India.
The geopolitical interests of India and Europe are "extremely aligned", and closer collaboration between European industry and the Indian armed forces is a natural fit, according to Rafal Modrzewski, co-founder and chief executive of the Finland-based satellite company ICEYE.
Speaking at the NDTV Defence Summit 2026, Modrzewski said the trade agreement reached between the European Commission and India would strengthen business ties and defence cooperation. He noted that ICEYE was already a provider to the armed forces during Operation Sindoor, India's response to the Pahalgam terror attack last year.
Modrzewski, who co-founded ICEYE 12 years ago, said the company now runs 84 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites — the largest constellation of its kind globally.
He argued that satellite imagery will be central to the interconnected battlefields of the future, since satellites can observe far beyond the horizon and offer a comprehensive overhead view of events on the ground.
Describing a "tip and cue" model, he explained how one satellite system could scan a broad area while a second exposes finer detail, with a third providing confirmation. He predicted that next year would see constellations of satellite clusters flying in formation and maintaining those formations, allowing forces to switch tactically from one satellite to another. Bringing artificial intelligence into such systems, he added, would produce remarkable capabilities.
Modrzewski also said ICEYE is looking at establishing a hub in India, with the aim of bringing capability to the country and transferring technology.