India’s ₹15,000 crore Air Ship-based High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (AS‑HAPS) program is designed to bridge the surveillance gap between drones and satellites, using solar‑powered helium airships at 20–25 km altitude to deliver months of persistent monitoring.

The Defence Ministry is deliberately fostering competition among private partners, while DRDO’s 2025 test at 17 km has already validated the concept.

India has identified a critical gap in aerial surveillance. Drones cannot sustain operations at extreme altitudes, and satellites move too quickly to provide continuous coverage. To address this, the Airship Based High Altitude Pseudo Satellite program has been launched, aiming to deploy stratospheric airships capable of hovering for months over a single location.

The airships will operate between 20 and 25 km altitude, powered by solar panels during the day and batteries at night. This endurance allows them to deliver persistent surveillance, secure communications, and electronic intelligence gathering.

Unlike satellites, which require costly launches and follow fixed orbits, these airships can be redeployed, maintained more easily, and provide higher resolution imagery from lower altitudes.

The initiative carries a budget of ₹15,000 crore and is being steered by the Directorate of Operations (Remote) of the Indian Air Force. It falls under the Make-I procurement category, which allows the government to fund up to 70% of development costs. At least two private sector partners will be selected to compete in developing prototypes, ensuring innovation and efficiency.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation has already conducted a significant trial in May 2025, launching an airship to 17 km altitude over Madhya Pradesh with an instrumental payload. This validated the physics and operational feasibility of the system, paving the way for full‑scale development.

The AS‑HAPS program is expected to enhance India’s border monitoring, particularly along the Line of Actual Control with China and the frontier with Pakistan. It will also strengthen maritime domain awareness in the Indian Ocean Region and provide secure military communications. Persistent surveillance will allow detection of troop movements, monitoring of maritime traffic, and real‑time intelligence relay.

Globally, similar efforts have faced engineering challenges. Europe’s EUROHAPS project and Thales Alenia’s Stratobus are still in prototype stages, with completion expected in the early 2030s. The United States has tested high‑altitude airships but has no operational system. China’s program remains secretive but highly active, with high‑altitude balloons already observed worldwide, including over India.

India’s approach is notable for its deliberate creation of competition among private partners. This strategy is intended to accelerate development and ensure robust solutions. Companies such as Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and NewSpace Research & Technologies are expected to play key roles, supported by dedicated manufacturing facilities inaugurated in 2025.

The strategic imperative for AS‑HAPS stems from lessons learned during the Doklam standoff in 2017, which exposed gaps in real‑time monitoring. By filling the niche between drones and satellites, India aims to achieve continuous situational awareness, secure communications, and enhanced defence posture.

Agencies