52 satellites for border, ocean watch: India ramps up defence surveillance

India's SBS-3 project aims to deploy 52 satellites by 2029 for sharper, real-time surveillance across borders and seas; move comes after key takeaways from Operation Sindoor

India is accelerating the deployment of 52 defence surveillance satellites aimed at significantly improving its space-based monitoring across borders with China and Pakistan and throughout the Indian Ocean Region, according to a report by The Times of India. 

Triggered by lessons from Operation Sindoor, the move will enable deeper surveillance of enemy activity. A military space doctrine is also in the final stages of preparation, the news report said.

 

Project timeline and scope

Phase 3 of the Space-Based Surveillance (SBS) programme, approved in October 2023 by the Prime Minister-led Cabinet Committee on Security, is set to cost ₹26,968 crore. It involves the construction and launch of 21 satellites by India’s space agency Isro and 31 by three private companies. The first satellite is expected to be launched by April 2026, with the full constellation targeted for completion by the end of 2029. The Defence Space Agency (DSA), under the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS), is leading the initiative, the news report said.     

   

Enhanced coverage and strategic edge

The goal of SBS-3 is to achieve shorter revisit times and higher-resolution imaging across strategic areas in China, Pakistan, and the Indian Ocean Region. The doctrine supporting this initiative is also being fine-tuned, The Times of India mentioned. 

Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force is pushing for three high-altitude platform system (HAPS) aircraft, essentially pseudo-satellites operating in the stratosphere for ISR missions. 

During Operation Sindoor (May 7–10), India employed satellites like Cartosat, alongside foreign commercial platforms, for tracking Pakistani military activity.

 

Operation Sindoor

In the early hours of May 7, during Operation Sindoor, the Indian armed forces launched coordinated precision strikes on nine terror camps located deep inside Pakistan. These camps were primarily linked to terrorist groups Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba. 

Following the Indian offensive, Pakistan retaliated with artillery shelling across the Line of Control and attempted to deploy drones for attacks. In response, India escalated its operations, striking key Pakistani military and air infrastructure, including the Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi and the airbase at Rahim Yar Khan.