Space-tech companies get an opening as India seeks more eyes in the sky
Operation Sindoor
, there is a growing push to enhance India's satellite-based Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. Lt Gen AK Bhatt (Retd), Director General of the
Indian Space Association
(ISpA), told ET that while India currently operates around 10–11
defence satellites
, mostly from the
Cartosat
and RISAT series which are one of the bests—"revisit times are long," and there is an urgent need for more satellites to ensure persistent coverage.
"The
Space Based Surveillance
(SBS-III) program is critical, but with a 4–5 year timeline, there's pressure to fast-track it and reduce dependence on foreign or commercial satellite data after the escalations between the two countries," Bhatt said who was also former director general of military operation (DGMO), who oversaw the Doklam crisis.
He added that the upcoming 52 satellites under SBS-III will be owned and operated by India, offering real-time access to imagery from both low Earth and geostationary orbits.
The private sector will play a big role in the surveillance program as 31 satellites will be made by three firms. The remaining 21 will come from the
Indian Space Research Organisation
(ISRO).
Experts said accurate satellite imagery plays a critical role in identifying enemy locations, planning operations, and confirming if the target has hit the intended spot. It serves as a reliable layer of intelligence even during active conflicts, complementing drones and ground-based radars, they explained.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Trump Signs Executive Order Extending Tariff Truce Deadline With China By 90 Days
The executive order was issued a day after President Trump urged China to significantly increase its purchases of US soybeans. US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order on Monday, extending the tariff truce deadline with China by 90 days, Reuters reported, citing a White House official. The order follows high-level talks between top officials from both countries, who met in Stockholm in July to explore the possibility of shifting the deadline to reach a negotiated agreement on tariffs. A White House official confirmed the latest decision, which came just hours before US tariffs on Chinese goods were due to revert to triple-digit rates. The previously agreed tariff truce between Beijing and Washington was scheduled to expire at 00:01 ET on Tuesday. The executive order, signed on Monday, was issued a day after President Trump urged China to significantly increase its purchases of US soybeans by as much as fourfold. At the same time, Washington has been pressuring Beijing to halt imports of Russian oil, with Trump warning of potential secondary tariffs on Chinese entities found violating the directive. When asked by reporters during a press conference on Monday whether he intended to extend the deadline, Trump responded, 'We'll see what happens. They've been dealing quite nicely. The relationship is very good with President Xi (Jinping) and myself." Without the order being passed, US tariffs on Chinese goods would have surged by 145%, while Chinese tariffs on American goods were set to rise to 125%. At present, imports from China into the US are subject to a 30% tariff, which includes a 10% base rate and an additional 20% imposed in relation to fentanyl-related policy measures. These rates were implemented by Washington earlier this year, between February and March. In response, China currently levies a 10% tariff on goods imported from the US. Both nations have made repeated efforts in recent months to reach a consensus on tariff policy, following the imposition of reciprocal triple-digit tariffs. In May, during a meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, the two sides agreed on a temporary truce, initiating a 90-day period for continued negotiations. They met again in Stockholm, Sweden, in late July, although no official extension was announced at the time. However, both parties described the talks as constructive, signalling the possibility of a truce extension. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Economic Times
an hour ago
- Economic Times
Assam govt speeds up SIR prep, BLO training soon
Guwahati: Preparation for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Assam is gathering momentum with the next round of training of booth-level officers (BLO) expected to take place within a week. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, while attacking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, said that in some places even the names of dead persons and married women were there in the voters' list and SIR would help weed out such voters. Assam is going to assembly polls early next year."In Assam's char areas (riverine) and some other places even dead people's names are there in the voters' list in large numbers. They do not delete it. Even married daughters' names are there. The voting percentage in these areas is around 100%," Sarma told media persons on Monday."Once SIR comes and the voters' list is linked with Aadhaar, this problem will be solved. Rahul Gandhi opposes SIR; what he wants is not clear. He can go to the Election Commission and seek rectification of the voters' list linking the voters' name with Aadhaar. He is not interested in this; he has picked up some names and is busy showing them. If the voters' list is wrong, how did Congress win Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana assembly polls? If your party wins it is alright. All these days, they were blaming EVM, now that EVM bullets are not firing, they have taken to SIR," he said.A BLO, who did not want to be named, told ET, "There was a directive from the deputy commissioner's office that the next round of training on preparation of SIR will take place within a week in some areas. We are expecting a written communication in the next couple of days." Newly-appointed BLOs have undergone a couple of rounds of training. Sources in the election offices told ET, "Last month, BLOs were appointed largely drawn from the teaching community. As it was summer vacation, training sessions were rolled out for BLOs on the electoral roll revision. Registration of BLOs on the App is underway." A BLO told ET, "We are asked to work for the revision after school hours. In the training session, there were talks of SIR and BLO forms. In case of new voters, we are made aware of the documents we should seek like birth certificate, photograph, parent's voters identity card and address proof. For deletion, we were suggested to look for death certificates." Assam Chief Electoral Officer Anurag Goel has issued instructions to all district election officers to ensure immediate preparedness.
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Letters to The Editor — August 12, 2025
Operation Sindoor, facts After the Indian Air Force chief made a statement that India 'took down six Pakistani aircraft during Operation Sindoor' (Front page, August 10), it is all the more necessary for the government to be frank about the losses incurred by India. This disclosure will only prove how far our forces were able to target Pakistani territory to destroy terror infrastructure. Citizens have a right to know how well the defence forces are operating. V. Padmanabhan, Bengaluru Enable peace The deep tensions between Israel and Palestine can be sorted out if some lead nations apply their minds. It is most heart-rending to read about the terrible state of Gaza. As a nonagenarian, I recall how the Jews were murdered by Adolf Hitler. Is Benjamin Netanyahu thinking along these lines? I hope not. Mani Nataraajan, Chennai Court on stray dogs The order of the Supreme Court directing the Delhi government to move stray dogs to shelter homes is one that must be made applicable across the country. Stray dogs are becoming a serious threat to life. In Kerala alone, there have been numerous instances of people being attacked and left seriously injured. There is also the grave danger of rabies. If the extent of the Court order widens, governments and local bodies will need to allocate adequate resources to establish proper shelter homes for these animals and for the recurrent expenditure of feeding them. While we talk about the responsibility of governments in containing the stray dog menace, we need to understand that the citizens too have to play their role. Stray dogs live in large numbers in places where food is available. So, people need to keep their surroundings clean. Unnikrishnan S. Menon, Chennai
