Gen Chauhan 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

Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan on Wednesday announced that the Indian armed forces have allocated funds amounting to ₹25,000 crore to fulfil its defence space needs including the development of a constellation of surveillance satellites and the establishment of secure communications networks.

Addressing the DefSat Conference and Expo organised by SIA-India, Gen Chauhan urged India’s private space sector to utilise this opportunity to make the country self-reliant in the emerging dual sector.

Gen Chauhan listed out the requirements of the armed forces, urging 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. He also stressed the need to develop indigenous positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services by strengthening the NAVIC constellation.

“Indian armed forces cannot remain dependent on foreign constellations for its PNT requirements. PNT services for navigation, synchronisation as well as long-range engagement will require building a secure, reliable and resilient Navic constellation,” he said.

The inaugural ceremony was attended by Australian High Commissioner to India Phillip Green, National Institute of Advanced Studies Director Shailesh Nayak and senior officers from the armed forces.

“To execute our future requirements, if I make a rough estimate, our outlay in the coming few years would be more than Rs 25,000 crore. It is the right time for the private industry to utilise this opportunity.

This period may be the Amritkaal for the private space industry. I think it is time to build a highly capable Atmanirbhar Defence Space ecosystem,” Gen Chauhan said. He said high speed, secure, satellite-assisted communication was another area of growth.”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.

He said launch capabilities being the basic building blocks, investments should also be on launch-on-demand capabilities in the near future.