By R Anil Kumar
- Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) gives green signal to 52 New Spy Satellites Under Phase III of Space-Based Surveillance Project Worth Rs. 26,968 Crore
- Under SBS III, PM Narendra Modi government wants land and maritime domain awareness with military and civilian applications
- SBS III with launch of 52 satellites into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Geostationary Orbit (GEO), will undertake various surveillance functions that includes monitoring enemy movements and tracking infrastructure developments in strategically important regions
- The SBS Mission aims to improve monitoring of domestic and international activities across India’s land and sea borders
- The three services will have dedicated satellites for their land, sea or air-based missions
New Delhi, October 13. In a significant move to enhance national security, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved phase III of Space Based Surveillance (SBS) programme.
This ambitious project, estimated at Rs. 26,968 crore, will see the deployment of 52 new satellites, significantly augmenting India’s ability to monitor activities on land and at sea.
The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has approved phase III of its Space Based Surveillance (SBS) mission for better land and maritime domain awareness for civilian and military applications.
The project is being handled by the National Security Council Secretariat along with the Defence Space Agency under the integrated headquarters in the Defence Ministry.
The proposal cleared by CCS involves the launch of at least 52 satellites in low earth orbit and geostationary orbit for surveillance. Costing Rs. 26,968 crore, the proposal involves the construction and launch of 21 satellites by ISRO and the remaining 31 by private companies.
The project reflects a growing collaboration between the public and private sectors in India’s space endeavours.
The 52 spy satellites will be based on artificial intelligence (AI) and able to “interact with each other in space to gather geo-intelligence” on the Earth.
This initiative marks a critical step in strengthening India’s domain awareness, with applications for both civilian and military purposes. The satellites, to be placed in low Earth orbit (LEO) and geostationary orbit (GEO), will provide crucial intelligence on enemy movements, infrastructure development in strategically vital areas, and potential threats to national security.
“We will have communication between satellites, so that if some satellite detects something, which is at GEO (geosynchronous equatorial orbit) at 36,000 km altitude, it can ask another satellite in the lower orbit (at 400-600 km altitude) to check much more carefully and then give us more information. This capability will give us enormous potential,” said a senior ISRO official.
SBS 1 was initiated by the Vajpayee government in 2001, and involved the launch of four satellites for surveillance, Cartosat 2A, Cartosat 2B, Eros B and Risat 2.
SBS 2 came in 2013 with the launch of six satellites, Cartosat 2C, Cartosat 2D, Cartosat 3A, Cartosat 3B, Microsat 1 and Risat 2A. The newly cleared SBS 3 shows that India will be launching 52 satellites within the next decade.
This expansion of space-based surveillance comes amidst rising geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific region. A key objective is to detect and counter the growing presence of hostile submarines in the Indo-Pacific waters, particularly in light of China’s increasing assertiveness.
The satellites will also monitor infrastructure construction by adversaries along India’s land borders, including the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China and the border with Pakistan. This surveillance will enable India to respond effectively to any developments that could pose a security threat.
Beyond defence, the satellites will contribute to civilian applications such as disaster management, environmental monitoring, and infrastructure development.
The data gathered will aid in weather forecasting, forest cover assessment, and agricultural output analysis, supporting informed decision-making in areas like food security and urban planning.
The satellites will be launched in a span of five years and boost India’s space surveillance.
The initiative also complements India’s recent acquisition of 31 Predator drones from the US, further bolstering its surveillance capabilities. This, coupled with India’s demonstrated anti-satellite capabilities, as showcased in a 2019 test, underscores the country’s growing prowess in space technology and its strategic implications for national security.
For naval and air security, the CCS also approved procurement of 31 Predator long-endurance drones from the US and indigenous construction of two nuclear-powered conventional submarines with an aim to significantly enhance India’s military prowess.
The MQ-9B ‘hunter killer’ drones are being procured from US defence major General Atomics under the foreign military sales route at a total cost of around $3.1 billion. The two submarines will be built at a cost of around Rs. 40,000 crore, the report stated.
