India has formally launched the ₹15,000‑crore Air Ship‑based High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (AS‑HAPS) program, inviting private sector participation to build stratospheric airships capable of persistent surveillance, intelligence gathering, and communications at altitudes above 20 km, Economic Times reported.

The initiative, cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council earlier this year, is designed to bridge the gap between drones and satellites, with government funding covering up to 70% of development costs.

India has initiated this ambitious plan under the Directorate of Operations (Remote) of the Indian Air Force.

The project will select at least two private partners based on technical and financial strength, with prototypes expected to demonstrate capabilities such as optical surveillance, electronic intelligence, and long‑range communications. The systems are intended to operate continuously for months, providing uninterrupted intelligence.

The AS‑HAPS program is part of the Make-I procurement procedure, which allows significant government funding support. The Defence Acquisition Council approved the project in February, pegging its cost at ₹15,000 crore, including development and procurement of multiple systems. In parallel, the Ministry of Defence is pursuing fixed‑wing High Altitude Pseudo Satellites capable of long‑range missions from ground take‑off.

The airships will be equipped with radars, optical devices, and potentially indigenous sensors, ensuring long‑range surveillance and steerability to areas of interest. While no Indian private company has yet demonstrated such technology, the Defence Research and Development Organisation has already conducted trials, launching an airship to 17 km altitude in May 2025 over Madhya Pradesh.

Globally, stratospheric airship development has faced engineering challenges and high costs. Europe is advancing the EUROHAPS project, with Thales Alenia developing the Stratobus, expected to be ready by the early 2030s. The United States has tested high‑altitude airships but has no operational system in service.

China’s program remains secretive but highly active, with high‑altitude balloons already observed worldwide, including over India. One such balloon was shot down over the United States at 20 km altitude, highlighting the military potential of such systems.

Recent reports emphasise that AS‑HAPS platforms will be powered by solar panels during the day and batteries at night, enabling endurance of months or even years. Unlike satellites, which require costly launches and follow fixed orbits, airships offer re-deployability, easier maintenance, and higher resolution imagery from lower altitudes.

They are expected to provide persistent watch over India’s borders with China and Pakistan, as well as maritime domains in the Indian Ocean Region.

India’s indigenous development journey began around 2023‑24, with CSIR‑NAL conducting prototype trials. A sub‑scale demonstrator flew for eight hours at 3 km altitude in 2024, followed by longer endurance tests.

Full‑scale models are now targeting altitudes of 20‑23 km and endurance of 90 hours by 2027. Private firms such as NewSpace Research & Technologies and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited are contributing, with dedicated manufacturing facilities inaugurated in 2025 to support Atmanirbhar Bharat.

The strategic imperative for AS‑HAPS stems from India’s need for continuous surveillance in contested regions, particularly after the Doklam standoff with China in 2017 exposed gaps in real‑time monitoring.

These platforms will enhance situational awareness, detect troop movements, and act as telecommunications relays, significantly boosting India’s defence posture.

Agencies