Key points
- The satellites are set to be launched by 2029
- ISRO plans to transfer Small Satellite Launch Vehicle tech to enable rapid launches
- The project marks significant role for private industry
ISLAMABAD: India is accelerating the launch of 52 defence satellites to boost surveillance and improve border security.
The Rs2.69 billion project aims to provide real-time monitoring and enhance security on borders with Pakistan and China.
Under Phase 3 of the Space-Based Surveillance (SBS) initiative, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch 21 satellites, while three private firms will develop and deploy the remaining 31, according to India Today.
The first satellite in this constellation is scheduled to launch in April 2026, with full deployment targeted by the end of 2029, the newspaper reported.
Military use
The satellite will provide high-resolution imagery and faster revisit times to assist India’s Army, Navy and Air Force in tracking enemy movements.
The project marks a significant role for private industry.
According to the newspaper, ISRO plans to transfer Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) technology to enable rapid launches during emergencies.
Security
“We must detect, identify and track potential threats not when they approach our borders, but when they are still in their staging areas, airfields and bases, deep within an adversary’s territory,” India’s Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit said recently.
The integrated defence staff is overseeing the project, which will focus on both low Earth and geostationary orbits.
