How Vasundharaa Is Transforming India’s GEOINT Ecosystem

In the rapidly evolving landscape of geospatial intelligence (GEOINT), one Indian startup is quietly reshaping how space-age technologies intersect with national security and civil governance. Pune-based Vasundharaa is a trailblazer in delivering indigenous, AI-powered ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) solutions tailored to India’s unique terrain and threat profiles.

Bridging the Space-Ground Divide

Founded in 2017 by Advait Kulkarni, Vasundharaa emerged from a clear and urgent vision: to democratize access to satellite data, AI, and geospatial analytics. Kulkarni, an aerospace avionics graduate from Queensland University of Technology, previously worked on ISR support projects and environmental monitoring systems. His dual exposure to defence and environmental challenges revealed the vast potential for a unified technology stack serving both domains.

“The same geospatial technologies could enable smart governance and enhance homeland security,” says Kulkarni. The startup’s name, Vasundharaa, meaning "the Earth" in Sanskrit, underscores its mission to observe and protect the planet with cutting-edge GEOINT tools.

Building Dual-Use ISR for a New India

With a cross-functional team led by co-founders Aditya Tekale and Rajendra Manohar, Vasundharaa has structured itself to serve a dual-use mandate. The team operates across verticals including environment, agriculture, and defence, with a dedicated ISR division.

At the heart of Vasundharaa’s innovation is the Drishti GEOINT portal, a modular platform integrating multi-source data from satellites, drones, and field sensors, processed through proprietary AI algorithms. The platform provides real-time dashboards, actionable insights, and alerts tailored for both field operations and command centres.

“Our advantage lies in localised algorithms and our proven ability to serve both civil and defence needs under one platform,” explains Kulkarni. Participation in events like DEFEXPO and DEF-SAT 2025 has further solidified their credibility in India’s strategic tech corridors.

Capturing a $12 Billion Opportunity

India’s geospatial market is projected to exceed $12 billion by 2030, driven by defence modernisation and smart governance mandates. Vasundharaa’s client base spans government agencies, paramilitary forces, and ESG-focused private enterprises.

The company leverages B2G pilots, defence hackathons, and long-term service agreements to onboard and retain clients. Revenue is generated through platform subscriptions, custom deployments, and AI module licensing, all designed with scalable, cloud-enabled architecture.

From Pilots to Proven Impact

Already, Vasundharaa has achieved several milestones: over 100 TB of satellite data processed, ISR pilots deployed with state disaster response units, and collaborations with defence R&D entities. Recognitions include wins at the State Innovation Challenge (2025) and features in Geospatial World and Inc42.

Notably, its ISR systems have bolstered disaster preparedness for floods and wildfires and improved governance services for over 50 million citizens.

Navigating Defence Complexity

Despite its momentum, Vasundharaa faces hurdles common in the defence sector: prolonged procurement cycles and stringent security protocols. Kulkarni notes that early challenges included aligning tech prototypes with on-ground ISR requirements.

“You can’t rely on brochures—defence users need hands-on demonstrations and ongoing trust-building,” he reflects.

Scaling With Purpose

In the short term, Vasundharaa aims to deploy ISR modules with two major defence formations and expand to additional Indian states. Long-term, it plans to evolve Drishti into India’s default ISR cloud platform, with ambitions to enter Africa and Southeast Asia for climate and peacekeeping missions.

For aspiring dual-use tech founders, Kulkarni offers measured advice: "Be ready for a long runway. Success comes not just from tech innovation but from resilience, compliance, and relentless stakeholder engagement."

A Future Rooted in Sovereignty 

As India liberalises its space sector and modernises defence operations, Vasundharaa stands at the intersection of national ambition and indigenous innovation. By unifying defence-grade ISR with smart governance tools, the startup is not only filling a critical capability gap, but it’s also pioneering a sovereign path for India’s GEOINT future.