India is set to significantly expand its satellite fleet over the next three years, with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) planning to add 100-150 new satellites to enhance national safety and security. ISRO Chairman V Narayanan announced that this expansion aims to provide comprehensive coverage of the country, particularly for strengthening border security and coastal surveillance. 

Currently, India operates approximately 55 satellites, a number deemed insufficient for a nation with vast land borders and a 7,500-kilometer-long coastline. The planned increase will enable more effective monitoring and response capabilities across these critical regions.

Narayanan emphasised that the need for enhanced surveillance capabilities is a key driver behind recent space sector reforms initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. These reforms have opened the sector to private participation, allowing private companies to build rockets and satellites alongside ISRO.

This collaborative approach is expected to accelerate satellite deployment and foster innovation in the Indian space ecosystem. Narayanan stated, “Through Space Sector reforms we can bring in private players to build satellites and we can handhold them. In three years, we will be adding another 100-150 satellites. With all those satellites we can monitor the country completely”.

The announcement was made in response to concerns about national security following a terrorist attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam. The expanded satellite network is expected to provide real-time data and imagery to security agencies, improving the nation’s ability to detect and respond to threats along its borders and coasts.

In addition to security initiatives, ISRO is also advancing in other areas, such as satellite docking technology—recently achieving a second successful docking as part of its SpaDeX missions—and developing a satellite to study climate change, with significant international collaboration planned for the G20 countries.

This ambitious satellite expansion aligns with the broader growth trajectory of India’s space sector, which is attracting increasing private investment and is projected to play a major role in the country’s economic and technological development in the coming years.

PTI