Defence Space Agency

History The Naresh Chandra Task Force was set up in July 2011 by National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon to review the recommendations of the Kargil Review Committee, assess the implementation progress and further suggest new reforms related to national security. The task force was led by Naresh Chandra, retired Indian Administrative Service officer, and comprised 13other members, including Gopalaswami Parthasarathy, Air Chief Marshal Srinivasapuram Krishnaswamy (Retd), Admiral Arun Prakash (Retd), Lt Gen V. R. Raghavan (Retd), Anil Kakodkar, K C Verma and V K Duggal. The committee conducted the first holistic review of national security since the Kargil Review Committee and submitted its classified report to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 23May2012. Among its recommendations, the Task Force recommended the creation of a cyber command, an aerospace command and a special operations command. All three units were proposed to be tri-service commands. The DSA is a downsized implementation of this proposal. The Defence Imagery Processing and Analysis Centre in Delhi and the Defence Satellite Control Centre in Bhopal were subsumed by the DSA. The "Joint Military Space Doctrine" was released on 16 September 2025, the second day of Combined Commanders' Conference (CCC) 2025, at the headquarters Army Eastern Command, Fort William, Kolkata. Organisation DSA, headquartered in Bangalore and functioning under the Integrated Defence Staff with military personnel from all the three branches of the Indian Armed Forces deputed to the agency, with the aim to protect Indian interests in outer space, develop a space warfare strategy, and deal with potential space wars by leveraging the Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), Electronic Intelligence (ELINT), Communication Intelligence (COMINT), and space-based surveillance and tracking systems. Defence Space Research Agency The Defence Space Research Agency (DSRA) is the scientific organisation responsible for developing space-warfare systems and technologies for the Defence Space Agency. The DSRA was approved by the Government of India in June 2019. The DSRA is composed of scientists who undertake research and development in close coordination with the Integrated Defence Staff. Various types of Anti-satellite weapon systems are currently under development. == Space Command ==

In 2023, Indian Air Force proposed to transition itself into Indian Air and Space Force (IASF) with an enhanced focus on space-based capabilities, including plans to operate over 100 small and large military satellites within next 7 to 8 years by expanding the role of DSA to a full-fledged Space Command. In order to strengthen DSA and other related organizations by increasing manpower, ground-based infrastructure, and space-based assets to enhance India's space-centric warfare, space asset protection, and risk mitigation capabilities, the Department of Military Affairs presented a comprehensive transition plan to the key stakeholders, including the MoD, ISRO and DRDO, in December 2024. The Indian government had previously accepted DSA's SBS-III project, which calls for the launch of 52 military communication and surveillance satellites for the Indian military between 2025 and 2029, prior to the presentation of this transition plan. == Anti-satellite programme ==

Origin: BMD (Ballistic Missile Defence) programme The origin of the Indian ASAT programme can be traced back to its BMD program, which began in 1999 in response to threats posed by the Ballistic missiles of Pakistan and China. In 2006 and 2007, India tested its first exo atmospheric interceptor and has developed many interceptors since then. On 18 March 2008, DRDO Chief V. K. Saraswat stated that India possessed technology required for an ASAT missile, reiterating it in February 2010. India is known to have been developing an exo-atmospheric kill vehicle that can be integrated with the missile to engage satellites. In April 2012, Saraswat again said that India possessed the critical technologies for an ASAT weapon from radars and interceptors developed for Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme. India had begun work on its ASAT soon after the 2007 Chinese anti-satellite missile test. In 2019, India was working on directed energy ASAT weapons, co-orbital ASAT weapons, lasers and electromagnetic pulse (EMP) based ASAT weapons. The ability to protect space assets from hostile electronic and physical attacks was also being developed by India. == Military exercises ==

IndSpaceEx 2019 India conducted its first simulated space warfare exercise on 25 and 26 July 2019, called IndSpaceEx. The exercise was conducted under the supervision of the Integrated Defence Staff. The exercise was aimed at obtaining an assessment of threats and the creation of a joint space warfare doctrine. Antariksha Abhyan (2024-present) The first edition of the exercise was conducted from 11 to 13 November 2024 by Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff. The exercise simulated various scenarios of war-game the growing threats from and to Space Based Assets and Services. == Space assets ==

Space Based Surveillance (SBS) project The Space Based Surveillance is a series of projects taken up by the Government of India to launch a constellation of satellites for earth observation roles. Additionally, the Indian Armed Forces also operates communications satellites of the GSAT-7 series of which GSAT-7 and GSAT-7A are active while GSAT-7B, GSAT-7C and GSAT-7R are planned for launch. Mission DefSpace Mission DefSpace is an initiative launched in October 2022 by the Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO) under the iDEX framework to promote indigenous development of dual-use technologies for India’s defence-space ecosystem with DSA. The programme was announced at DefExpo 2022 and introduced 75 “Defence Space Challenges” covering areas such as launch system, satellite system, communication and payload system, ground system and software system. Through challenge-based funding and procurement-linked grants, Mission DefSpace enables start-ups, MSMEs, and research institutions to co-develop technologies that complement the operational needs of the Defence Space Agency and the Indian armed forces. Companies signing iDEX agreements include Sisir Radar (developing L- and P-band SAR payloads and an unfurlable antenna), Space Kidz India (CubeSat deployers), and Kepler Aerospace (CubeSat-class surveillance satellites), among others. Mission DefSpace represents a major step toward self-reliance under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, fostering public–private collaboration in space-based intelligence, surveillance, communications, and situational awareness for India’s defence establishment. The CEO of the Defence Innovation Organization and the Additional Secretary of Defence Production signed the first iDEX contract for a micro-propulsion system for cubesats on May 15, 2023. A gas-based technology is being developed for this purpose by the Indian firm InspeCity. Once this technology is established, it can be merged with other satellites, such as the cubesat swarm under Mission DefSpace. On July 25, 2023, Pixxel received funding from iDEX to produce small, multi-payload satellites for the IAF that might weigh up to . These satellites will be built for hyperspectral, infrared, electro-optical, and synthetic aperture radar applications. The funding is a component of the SPARKS project. == List of Indian military satellites ==

As of 2024, India operates 9 military satellites. Of these, three strategic satellites including two communication satellites (GSAT-7 and GSAT-7A) are for dedicated military use, while the rest are dual-purpose satellites with military and civilian applications. • RISAT-2BR1: Launched on 11 December 2019 as a part of RISAT series. It can distinguish between objects which are 35 cm apart. The highly agile CARTOSAT-2B can be steered up to 45 deg along as well as across the direction of its movement to facilitate imaging of any area more frequently and offers multiple spot scene imagery. • Cartosat-2C: Launched in June 2016, the satellite was used in reconnaissance purposes before and during 2016 Indian Line of Control strike. • Cartosat-2E: Launched on 23 June 2017, the Cartosat-2E satellite was designed to collect high-resolution (0.6 m×0.6 m), large scale imagery. The satellite provides an edge in warfare with clearer images. The satellite is also used for urban planning, infrastructure development and traffic management. • EOS series • EOS-01 (previously RISAT-2BR2) • GSAT-7 series • GSAT-7 was launched in 2013 for the exclusive use of the Indian Navy to monitor the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) with the satellite's 2,000 nautical mile ‘footprint’ and real-time input capabilities to Indian warships, submarines and maritime aircraft. To boost its network-centric operations, the IAF is also likely to get another satellite GSAT-7C within a few years. • HySIS series • HySIS, a dual use satellite, was also launched in November 2013, which is used by the navy. HySIS carries two payloads, the first in the Visible Near Infrared (VNIR) spectral range of 0.4 to 0.95 micrometres with 60 contiguous spectral bands and the second in the Shortwave Infrared Range (SWIR) spectral range of 0.85 to 2.4 micrometres with a 10 nanometre bandwidth and 256 contiguous spectral bands. The satellite will have a spatial resolution of 30 meters and a swath of 30 km from its 630 km sun-synchronous orbit. • EMISAT series • EMISAT: Launched on 1 April 2019, is a reconnaissance satellite under DRDO's project Kautilya which will provide space-based electronic intelligence or ELINT, especially to improve the situational awareness of the Indian Armed Forces by providing information and location of enemy radars. Planned • Cartosat-3 series • Cartosat-3A (EOS-8): Planned to be launched on PSLV-XL. Will have a panchromatic resolution of 0.25 metres and a high quality resolution of 1 metre. To be launched in 2024. • Cartosat-3B: Planned to be launched on PSLV-XL. Will have a panchromatic resolution of 0.25 metres and a high quality resolution of 1 metre. To be launched in 2025. • GSAT-7 series • GSAT-7R: Shall planned to replace GSAT-7 for the Indian Navy. Launch is scheduled on 2 November 2025. • GSAT-7B, planned to be first dedicated military satellite for the Indian Army. The approval was granted by Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on 21 March 2023. The multiband military satellite, featuring integrated communication for network-centric operations, will be launched in 2–3 years. Contract for a 5-tonne satellite signed with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), worth on 29 March 2023. The satellite would provide beyond line of sight communication to troops and formations as well as weapon and airborne platforms. • Additional 52 surveillance satellites under the Phase 3 of Space Based Surveillance (SBS) project to be launched between 2025–29. Decommissioned • Technology Experiment Satellite or (TES) is an experimental satellite to demonstrate and validate, in orbit, technologies that could be used in the future satellites of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The Technology Experiment Satellite (TES) has a panchromatic camera capable of producing images of 1 meter resolution for remote sensing. The launch of TES made India the second country in the world after the United States that can commercially offer images with one meter resolution. RISAT-2 is India's first satellite with a synthetic aperture radar. It has a day-night, all-weather monitoring capability and has a resolution of one metre. Potential applications include tracking hostile ships at sea. Though the Indian Space Research Organisation sought to underplay the satellite's defence capabilities in its website and in its announcements, a majority of the media preferred to classify it as a spy satellite. ISRO claims that the satellite will enhance ISRO's capability for earth observation, especially during floods, cyclones, landslides and in disaster management in a more effective way. • CARTOSAT-2 carries a state-of-the-art panchromatic (PAN) camera that take black and white pictures of the Earth in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The swath covered by these high resolution PAN cameras is 9.6 km and their spatial resolution is 80 centimetres. The satellite can be steered up to 45 degrees along as well as across the track. CARTOSAT-2 is an advanced remote sensing satellite capable of providing scene-specific spot imagery. The data from the satellite will be used for detailed mapping and other cartographic applications at cadastral level, urban and rural infrastructure development and management, as well as applications in Land Information System (LIS) and Geographical Information System (GIS). == Re-orientation and optimization plan ==

The Ministry of Defense has been aiming for a three-layered constellation of multi-functional satellites since 2024. Satellites having the ability to uplink and downlink encrypted data are to be placed in low (up to 2,000 km), medium (between 2,000 km and 35,780 km), and geo-stationary (above 35,780 km) orbits. This program analyzes the lessons learned from the Russo-Ukrainian War of 2022 and allows the frequency bands to be licensed from private satellite agencies if necessary. The Defense Space Agency is in charge of the initiative. == See also ==