Indian armed forces allocate Rs 25,000 crore for defence space requirements including surveillance satellites and secure communications networks. Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan urges private space sector to help make India self-reliant in this sector.

Indian Armed Forces Allocate ₹25,000 Cr To Enhance Defence Space Capabilities

Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan has stressed that as the country is going through Amrit Kaal, it is time for building a highly capable Aatmanirbhar defence space ecosystem. Inaugurating ‘DEFSAT’, a three-day Space Seminar and Exhibition at the Manekshaw Centre, Delhi Cantt on Feb 7, 2024, Gen Anil Chauhan underlined that from space augmentation to exploration, the Government has envisioned big targets for the nation. CDS said that Space can be used as a force multiplier to enhance combat capabilities in traditional domains of land, air, sea and even cyber. He called upon all the stakeholders of defence space ecosystem to work on bolstering the Counter-Space capabilities as deterrent for safeguarding country’s space assets.

Indian armed forces have earmarked funds to the tune of Rs 25,000 crore to meet its defence space requirements, ranging from building a constellation of surveillance satellites to secure communications networks, CDS  Gen Anil Chauhan said. Listing out the requirement of the armed forces, he urged the industry to partner in augmenting intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities by developing multi-sensor satellites, launch-on-demand services and a robust network of ground stations.

Gen Chauhan also stressed on the need to develop indigenous positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services by strengthening the NAVIC constellation. “Investment towards satellite internet openings, satellites enabling the 5G ecosystem, high throughput satellite and LEO satellites need to be undertaken to provide a reliant and resilient coverage,” Gen Chauhan said.

Defence Space Agency

The Defence Space Agency is an integrated tri-services agency of the Indian Armed Forces. Headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. The agency is tasked with operating the space-warfare and Satellite Intelligence assets of India. The agency is expected to be converted into a full-sized tri-service military command in the future. Months before the operationalisation of the Defence Space Agency, India conducted an Anti-satellite weapon (ASAT) test in March 2019. The test was aimed at demonstrating India’s anti-satellite capability.