India, May 5 -- Pixxel has partnered with Sarvam to build what could become India's first AI data centre in space. The satellite, called Pathfinder, is expected to reach orbit by the end of 2026. Unlike traditional satellites, this one is being designed to handle serious computing work.

It will carry GPUs, the same type of processors used in large data centres on Earth to train and run AI models. Sarvam will use this infrastructure to carry out both training and inference directly in orbit, while Pixxel will design, build, launch, and operate the satellite.

The idea is simple in theory. Instead of sending large volumes of data back to Earth for processing, the system can process data in space itself. This reduces delay and makes decisio...