India to speed up launch of military satellites
India has fast-tracked the deployment of 52 surveillance satellites to enhance its space-based defense capabilities, according to media reports on Monday.
The rollout is expected to begin with the launch of the first satellite in April 2026, and the entire constellation is slated to be fully operational by the end of 2029, India Today reported. The $3.57 billion project aims to provide real-time monitoring and improve border security, it added. Once deployed, the satellite constellation will offer high-resolution imagery and reduced revisit times, enabling India's army, navy, and air force to closely monitor movements within hostile territory.
Indian space agency officials have said the country aims to mitigate threats by deploying a diverse array of satellites in different orbits that are capable of tracking the movement of troops and photographing thousands of kilometers along the borders with neighboring China and Pakistan. In its recent military confrontation with Pakistan, India is believed to have used indigenous and commercial satellite-based tracking to destroy suspected terror bases in the neighboring country, local media reports said.
India's Integrated Defense Staff is overseeing the development of the 52 defense surveillance satellites, which will operate in both low Earth orbit and geostationary orbit, according to reports. The satellite network is designed to serve as a strategic deterrent and countermeasure to China's advancing anti-satellite capabilities, including kinetic weapons and electronic warfare systems.
Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, chief of the Integrated Defense Staff, was cited by India Today as saying that the country should be able to 'detect, identify, and track potential threats' while they are still in their early stages, such as in launch areas, airfields, and bases located deep within enemy territory. A key aspect of the project is the significant involvement of private industry, as the state-owned Indian Space Research Organization intends to transfer its Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) technology to private firms, allowing for swift launches in emergency situations.
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