India plans satellite surveillance network to track foreign snooping: Report

(Representative Image)

India is enhancing its space-based defense capabilities with a new satellite project aimed at detecting foreign surveillance. The Ministry of Defence is finalizing a multi-year plan to launch a constellation of satellites that will monitor potential reconnaissance efforts targeting India, as reported by Mint.

This ambitious initiative is estimated to cost around Rs 150 crore annually and is expected to become operational by the end of 2026. Bengaluru-based space startup Digantara, backed by Peak XV Partners, has reportedly secured the contract to lead the project.

Unlike ISRO’s current NETRA system, which tracks space debris and satellite positions, the new constellation is specifically designed for defense surveillance.

The satellites will be able to communicate with each other and transmit data to multiple ground stations throughout India. All infrastructure, from satellite manufacturing to data relay systems, will be developed domestically.

A control center is likely to be established in Bengaluru, where technical experts will oversee operations. Collaboration with ISRO is also being considered to ensure alignment between civilian and defense space monitoring efforts, according to the report.

“This is part of India’s efforts to leverage its space capabilities to enhance national security,” a source familiar with the project informed Mint. They added that the new constellation would significantly strengthen India’s ability to detect and respond to potential threats in space.

Experts see the project as a reflection of the growing confidence in India’s private space sector. “It’s a small but significant component of a much larger system,” said Chaitanya Giri, a space fellow at the Observer Research Foundation. “It will enhance India’s national security capabilities, although its true impact can only be assessed once it becomes operational.”

This contract represents one of the largest government deals awarded to a private space firm in India. Digantara, which recently opened a U.S. entity in Denver to pursue defense contracts from DARPA and the U.S. Department of Defense, follows in the footsteps of fellow Indian startup Pixxel, which won a NASA contract and established operations in Los Angeles.

The government appears to be deepening its engagement with homegrown space companies. Mint previously reported that the Defence Ministry and the Department of Science and Technology had asked three private players to accelerate the deployment of the Space-Based Surveillance (SBS-3) project.

Commenting on this broader trend, IN-SPACe Chairperson Pawan Kumar Goenka told Mint that several ministries are being encouraged to utilize services from domestic space startups. Former ISRO chief S. Somanath also emphasized the importance of the government acting as a key customer to help the sector thrive, similar to how the U.S. supports its private space industry.