Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Sep 22: India is preparing to strengthen its space defence capabilities after a near-collision in orbit highlighted growing risks to national security. According to reports, the Narendra Modi-led government is working on developing “bodyguard satellites” to safeguard the country’s critical space assets from potential threats.

The initiative gained urgency after a mid-2024 incident when a satellite belonging to a neighbouring country came within just one kilometre of an ISRO satellite orbiting between 500-600 km above Earth. Officials believe the manoeuvre may have been a show of strength, given that the Indian satellite was engaged in tasks with possible military applications such as mapping and ground monitoring. Though a collision was averted, experts termed the approach “unusually close” and concerning.

The proposed “satellite-protection project” is part of a larger government plan to deploy about 50 surveillance satellites under a Rs 27,000-crore ($3 billion) programme, with the first launch expected next year. These satellites are intended to enhance India’s monitoring, communication, and security presence in orbit.

India’s efforts come in the backdrop of increasing competition in space. While Pakistan has just eight satellites, India operates over 100. China, however, has surged ahead with more than 930 satellites, many of them with advanced military applications. Experts, including Indian Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, have warned that China’s People’s Liberation Army poses a growing threat in outer space.

Government officials are reportedly engaging Indian startups to work on innovative solutions. Among the ideas under discussion is the launch of LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) satellites, which can quickly detect potential threats and allow ground teams to issue repositioning commands to vulnerable satellites.

However, experts say such space-based systems must be complemented by ground-based radars and telescopes for round-the-clock surveillance. “We do not have such in-orbit tracking capability on a 24x7 basis, but some startups are working on it,” said Sudheer Kumar N, former ISRO Capacity Building Programme Director.

ISRO has already played a critical role in national security. During a tense standoff with Pakistan earlier this year, more than 400 ISRO scientists worked tirelessly to ensure uninterrupted support from Earth observation and communication satellites, ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan revealed on September 9.

With the geopolitical landscape becoming more volatile and space turning into a new frontier of strategic competition, India’s proposed “bodyguard satellites” mark a decisive step towards securing its assets in orbit and asserting its presence in the increasingly contested domain of space.