Goa, June 30 -- Key Pointers

India is fast-tracking its defence space capabilities with an ambitious plan to launch 52 dedicated surveillance satellites by 2029. The Rs.26,968 crore initiative is aimed at enhancing real-time monitoring and security across India's borders with China and Pakistan, as well as in the Indian Ocean Region. This major move directly responds to China's growing military activities in space and is intended to equip Indian armed forces with continuous, high-resolution surveillance.

Under Phase 3 of the Space-Based Surveillance (SBS) programme, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch 21 satellites, while the remaining 31 will be built and deployed by three private Indian companies. This marks a st...