India is moving ahead with the deployment of 52 defence surveillance satellites to strengthen its ability to monitor activities along the borders with China and Pakistan as well as across the Indian Ocean Region, according to a report by The Times of India.

This decision has been influenced by the experience gained during Operation Sindoor and is expected to help in better tracking of enemy movements. A military space doctrine in support of this initiative is also being finalised, the report added.

The third phase of the Space Based Surveillance programme which was cleared in October 2023 by the Cabinet Committee on Security led by the Prime Minister has been allocated a budget of ₹26,968 crore. This project includes the launch of 21 satellites by India’s space agency Isro and 31 more satellites by three private sector firms. The first satellite under this phase is scheduled to be launched by April 2026 and the complete satellite network is expected to be in place by the end of 2029. The Defence Space Agency which works under the Integrated Defence Staff is leading the effort the report said.

The objective of SBS Phase 3 is to reduce the gap between satellite passes and provide better imaging over sensitive areas in China Pakistan and the Indian Ocean Region. The military space doctrine guiding this programme is also being developed further according to The Times of India.

At the same time the Indian Air Force is seeking permission to operate three high altitude platform system aircraft which are known as pseudo satellites and are used for intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance missions in the upper layers of the atmosphere.

During Operation Sindoor which took place between May 7 and May 10 Indian armed forces used satellites such as Cartosat along with foreign commercial satellite services to track the movement of Pakistani forces.

In the early hours of May 7 India launched precision strikes in a coordinated manner against nine terror camps located deep inside Pakistan. These camps were mostly linked to terror groups including Jaish e Mohammed and Lashkar e Taiba.

In response to India’s offensive Pakistan carried out artillery shelling across the Line of Control and tried to use drones to launch attacks. India then escalated its operations by targeting important Pakistani military and air facilities including the Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi and the airbase at Rahim Yar Khan.