India is steadily expanding its military space architecture through a combination of dedicated communications satellites and a large-scale surveillance constellation designed to strengthen secure connectivity, intelligence gathering and network-centric warfare capabilities across all three services.

A major milestone in this effort will be the deployment of the Indian Army's first dedicated communications satellite, GSAT-7B, which is now expected to be launched by mid-2028. The launch schedule has slipped by approximately six months from earlier projections because of technical considerations.

The project is backed by a contract worth around ₹3,000 crore, with the Ministry of Defence having signed a ₹2,963-crore agreement with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) for the indigenous design, development and manufacture of the satellite.

GSAT-7B will be a five-ton geostationary satellite, making it one of India's largest military communications platforms. It is being developed to provide round-the-clock, secure and resilient communications across sensitive border regions and difficult terrain.

The satellite will deliver mission-critical beyond-line-of-sight connectivity for troops, formations, weapon systems and airborne platforms. It is also expected to support secure tactical data exchanges, strengthen battlefield command-and-control functions and significantly enhance the operational reach of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

The capability will address a longstanding requirement of the Army, which currently relies on the Indian Air Force's GSAT-7A satellite for a portion of its communication needs.

The Indian Air Force is also set to receive a dedicated communications platform under the GSAT-7C project. The satellite is expected to become operational around 2030 and is supported by a ₹2,563-crore contract signed with NSIL.

GSAT-7C is intended to provide secure and seamless connectivity between airborne and ground-based assets. It will support software-defined radios, enable real-time communications across a wide operational area and facilitate communications beyond conventional line-of-sight limitations.

The satellite is expected to improve coordination between fighter aircraft, airborne early warning platforms, unmanned systems and command centres, further strengthening the Air Force's networked warfare capabilities.

The Indian Navy has already advanced its space-based communications network through the deployment of GSAT-7R, also known as CMS-03, which is replacing the ageing GSAT-7 'Rukmini' satellite.

The naval communications system links warships, submarines, maritime aircraft and command establishments, providing secure communications across vast areas of the Indian Ocean and other operational theatres.

Alongside communications satellites, India is pursuing an ambitious surveillance expansion under Space-Based Surveillance Phase 3.

The program, overseen by the Defence Space Agency, has received approval for completion by 2029 and carries a budget of ₹26,968 crore, making it one of the country's most significant defence-space initiatives.

The project envisages a constellation of 52 military satellites designed to improve persistent monitoring of land borders, maritime regions and strategic areas of interest.

Under the approved framework, ISRO will manufacture 21 satellites, while 31 satellites will be developed by private industry partners, reflecting the growing role of the domestic private sector in national-security space programs.

The surveillance network is expected to include a mix of electro-optical and Synthetic Aperture Radar satellites, enabling day-and-night, all-weather observation capabilities. Once operational, the constellation will significantly enhance India's ability to monitor military movements, maritime activity and other strategic developments while providing faster intelligence updates to military commanders.

Together, GSAT-7B, GSAT-7C, GSAT-7R and the Space-Based Surveillance Phase 3 constellation represent a major step in India's effort to build an integrated military space ecosystem capable of supporting secure communications, persistent surveillance and joint operations across the Army, Navy and Air Force.

Agencies