Outlook Business Desk
India reportedly plans to fast-track the launch of 52 defense satellites after Operation Sindoor. A military space doctrine is also being finalised to support and guide this expanded space capability.
Phase 3 of the ₹26,968-crore Space-Based Surveillance (SBS) programme got clearance from the Prime Minister-led Cabinet Committee on Security in October 2023. It aims to boost India’s defence space surveillance.
A total of 52 satellites will be launched — 21 by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and 31 by three Indian private firms, reported the Time of India citing sources. The mission is led by the Defence Space Agency (DSA) under the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS).
The first satellite under this phase is expected to be launched by April 2026, with the full constellation scheduled for deployment by the end of 2029. The goal is to create a powerful surveillance network in space.
Efforts are on to “compress these timelines” for quicker launches into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Geostationary Orbit (GEO), reported TOI. Three private firms have been asked to speed up satellite production.
The aim of SBS-3 (Space-Based Surveillance Phase 3) is to monitor larger areas of China, Pakistan, and the Indian Ocean Region with shorter revisit times and improved resolution. The military space doctrine is also being fine-tuned, the newspaper added.
During Operation Sindoor, India used Cartosat and commercial foreign satellites to track Pakistani military movement. The reported noted that India need to shorten its OODA (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) loop.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is also reportedly working to acquire three High-Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS) — long-endurance unmanned aircraft that operate in the stratosphere for continuous ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) missions.
While India focuses on defence, China has rapidly expanded its anti-space arsenal — from anti-satellite (ASAT) missiles to laser weapons. Its military satellite fleet grew from 36 in 2010 to over 1,000 by 2024, including 360 for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions.