In a major strategic move to bolster national security and space surveillance capabilities, India is set to launch its own constellation of satellites designed to monitor foreign spy satellites operating in its orbit. The ambitious project, currently being finalized by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), aims to significantly enhance India’s space domain awareness.
Senior officials from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) confirmed to ThePrint that the system will include satellite mapping capabilities and will be fully developed in India.
“This is part of India’s broader plan to strengthen its space presence,” said a senior ISRO official. “We are entering an era where space will be central to national security, and this initiative is a step in that direction.”
The new satellite network will operate under the umbrella of NETRA (Network for Tracking Space Objects and Analysis) — India’s program aimed at detecting space debris and monitoring hazardous objects in orbit. The planned satellites will go a step further by tracking foreign surveillance satellites that may be spying on Indian installations or intercepting signals.
The satellites will be equipped with advanced propulsion and guidance systems, capable of adjusting orbital paths and capturing high-resolution data on target satellites. They will also be able to assess threats in real time, including orbital maneuvers and possible interception attempts by foreign space assets.
In an important public-private collaboration, Bengaluru-based space-tech startup Digantara has been tasked with deploying the satellites, with the first launches expected within the next year. ISRO and the MoD will jointly oversee the design and operational management.
The concept of monitoring satellites with satellites has become a key priority for major powers, including the United States, Russia, and China, all of whom have been developing or testing similar technologies.
In one notable instance, the U.S. Space Command flagged a 2020 event where Russia's Kosmos 2543 satellite released an unidentified object near another Russian satellite — an incident widely believed to be a test of space weapon technology.
“Space is becoming a new domain of warfare,” the ISRO official warned. “Future conflicts may not be limited to land or sea; they will increasingly play out in space. India must be prepared for that reality.”
The upcoming project complements India’s broader space-based surveillance push, including the development of the Space-Based Surveillance-3 (SBS-3) program. Under this initiative, India plans to deploy a constellation of 52 surveillance satellites over the next two years to bolster national security and strategic intelligence.
Valued at ₹27,000 crore, the SBS-3 program is being developed in partnership with Ananth Technologies, Centum Electronics, and Alpha Design Technologies, three leading private-sector defense firms.
Together, these initiatives reflect India’s sharpened focus on active orbital security, ensuring that the nation is not only prepared to respond to emerging threats but is also a key player in the evolving landscape of space defense and surveillance.
India’s move to create an indigenous satellite surveillance network marks a major step in securing its assets in space, protecting critical infrastructure, and countering the growing use of space for military espionage by rival nations.
As the global race for space dominance intensifies, India’s latest initiative signals its intent to not only safeguard its interests but also assert itself as a serious space power with robust defensive and offensive capabilities in orbit. (Source: The Print)
