To boost surveillance, Govt taps global firms for high-resolution satellite imagery
India now treats the sky as its new sentry. In the past eighteen months, New Delhi has sealed a series of agreements with international satellite‑imaging companies and rising domestic space start‑ups. The goal is simple yet urgent: see every strategic ridge, river bend and road in near‑real time, and respond before any adversary makes the first move.
Why the army needs sharper eyes
Troops along the Line of Control with Pakistan and the Line of Actual Control with China face unforgiving terrain. Dense forests, steep mountains and frequent cloud cover hide both friendly patrols and hostile infiltrators. Drones help, yet their range and endurance remain limited. High‑resolution satellites, by contrast, scan thousands of square kilometres in a single orbit. Commanders can track fresh tracks in snow, spot sudden tent clusters or confirm new artillery positions within a few hours.
Moreover, civilian agencies benefit as well. Accurate imagery guides disaster teams during floods, maps wildfire spread and keeps tabs on illegal mining. Thus, every new surveillance satellite saves lives, crops and infrastructure—not just national pride.
The SBS‑III programme rewrites India’s space playbook
In October 2024, the Cabinet cleared Space‑Based Surveillance Phase III (SBS‑III). The plan funds 52 Earth‑observation satellites worth ₹27,000 crore that will launch by 2027‑28. ISRO will build thirteen spacecraft in‑house. Private industry will deliver the remaining thirty‑nine, marking India’s largest defence contract for commercial space firms to date.
Under the scheme, each satellite must shoot at least sub‑metre imagery. Some carry synthetic‑aperture radar (SAR) sensors, which pierce clouds and work at night. Others field optical cameras tuned for colour fidelity and rapid revisit times. An AI layer aboard the spacecraft flags sudden changes—new bunkers, moving armour or unexpected explosions—and beams alerts straight to mission control.
Private factories come alive
Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) made headlines in April 2024 when it lofted TSAT‑1A, India’s first privately owned sub‑metre spy satellite. Built with Argentina‑born Satellogic, TSAT‑1A circles Earth every ninety minutes and resolves details as small as half a metre. Officers no longer wait for slow foreign clearances; they log into TASL’s cloud portal and pull frames on demand.
Not to be outdone, Ananth Technologies, Alpha Design (an Adani venture) and Digantara have expanded clean rooms and vibe tables in Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Each site promises to assemble two dozen small satellites a year. Consequently, Indian engineers now test star trackers, solar panels and reaction wheels they once imported.
Working with foreign technology—on India’s terms
While domestic muscle grows, India still courts select foreign specialists. BlackSky, a U.S. company famous for minute‑by‑minute crisis snapshots, has partnered with Thales Alenia Space and Indian firm Nibe Ltd. to build a cloud‑native EO constellation. Similarly, Finnish SAR pioneer ICEYE has signed a supply deal with Suhora Technologies. Their radar birds can expose camouflaged vehicles beneath a monsoon storm.
These joint ventures share code, imaging tips and data‑fusion tricks. However, contract clauses keep raw pixels on Indian servers. Thus, the army gains advanced sensors without compromising security.
A crowded global market raises both options and risks
India is hardly alone. The United States approved Albedo Space’s ten‑centimetre‑class satellite in March 2025. South Korea plans a forty‑satellite peacekeeping mesh. Even Nigeria wants a private firm to watch the Gulf of Guinea for pirates. Competition drives down costs yet also floods the market with commercial pictures. Rivals can buy the same Maxar frame that Indian analysts study, turning transparency into a double‑edged sword.
Therefore, defence planners push for sovereign access. If India owns enough spacecraft, it controls collection windows, encryption keys and archival rules.
Beyond defence: seven civil wins
- Faster disaster response: Flood maps arrive within hours, guiding rescue boats to trapped villages.
- Accurate crop forecasts: Weekly plant‑health scores help economists predict grain output.
- Smarter urban planning: City engineers track illegal construction and plan drainage upgrades.
- Forest protection: Rangers spot fresh logging trails in reserve zones.
- Coastal security: Agencies monitor sand‑mining barges and incoming oil spills.
- Infrastructure audits: Inspectors check highway progress without field trips, saving money.
- Climate research: Scientists measure glacier retreat across the Himalayas each season.
Because one satellite serves many masters, taxpayers see tangible returns beyond the battlefield.
Challenges that remain
Nonetheless, India must solve three persistent issues. First, launch capacity is tight. PSLV and GSLV rockets juggle commercial payloads, science probes and defence birds. The new SSLV improves cadence, yet more pads or private launchers will be vital. Second, spectrum allocation often lags. Operators wait months for downlink licences, delaying missions. Third, talent retention matters. Space start‑ups fight global giants for avionics engineers and flight‑dynamics wizards.
The road ahead
Experts expect India’s surveillance network to cross one hundred active satellites by 2030. Continuous coverage will transform command decisions from hours to minutes. Moreover, AI upgrades should flag threats automatically, letting officers focus on strategy, not screens.
Meanwhile, public‑private synergy promises a robust supply chain. Component makers already ship star sensors to Europe. If the trend continues, India could become a net exporter of small spy satellites, not merely a buyer.
Conclusion
India’s latest satellite push combines home‑grown innovation, clever alliances and clear strategic vision. Each new sensor tightens border security; each new partnership spreads technical know‑how. As a result, India inches toward an era where nothing along its frontiers escapes notice—rain, shine or fog.
