With launches moved up to 2026 following recent terror threats, India gears spy satellite development to boost border security.
India is accelerating its satellite surveillance programme following increased tensions with Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack. The government has instructed three private companies—Ananth Technologies, Centum Electronics, and Alpha Design Technologies—to cut their satellite development timelines from four years to between 12 and 18 months.
This acceleration forms part of the $3 billion Space-Based Surveillance-3 (SBS-3) mission, approved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cabinet Committee on Security in October 2024.
The programme aims to build 52 surveillance satellites to monitor India’s borders closely and provide vital data during natural disasters like earthquakes and floods.
According to an exclusive Mint report, the spy satellites are now expected to be operational by 2026, rather than the original target of late 2028.
One satellite, under advanced development by Ananth Technologies, is anticipated to launch this year. It could be deployed either via ISRO’s Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM3) or SpaceX, depending on scheduling.
As per the reports, the Ministry of Defence issued orders to fast-track these next-generation satellites just before India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7. This operation targeted nine terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Experts see the SBS-3 constellation as a critical national security asset and an example of significant contracts being awarded to private space firms, Mint reported.
The three firms involved have longstanding ties with ISRO. Hyderabad-based Ananth Technologies, led by former ISRO veteran Subba Rao Pavuluri, supplied key components for the Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission.
Bengaluru-based Centum Electronics and Alpha Design Technologies, the latter now owned by Adani Defence and Aerospace, have contributed to previous satellite missions including the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), which supports the NavIC indigenous navigation system.
India’s push to speed up satellite surveillance reflects growing concerns over border security and geopolitical challenges in the region.
