Page 11 - The Indian EYE 111425

OPINION NOVEMBER 14, 2025 | The Indian Eye 11

provides the Indian Navy with a ded-
icated, secure, real-time communi-
cation platform across the IOR. The
Indian Navy’s experience with the
GSAT-7 Rukmini satellite has been
highly positive, effectively providing
the force with its first dedicated, se-
cure, real-time communication plat-
form across the IOR. The spacecraft
is equipped with Ku band, S band,
C band, and UHF (ultra-high fre-
quency) band transponders to im-
prove the maritime communications
among the Indian Navy’s warships.
The satellite had reduced the navy’s
dependence on foreign satellites like
Inmarsat to communicate with Indi-
an ships.

During the 73-day military
standoff over the Doklam bor-
der dispute between India and
China, which began in 2017,

when China started building a
road in the Doklam region, the For over a decade, the Rukmini satellite has played an essential role for the Indian Navy. This system provides the Indian Navy with a dedicated,
Rukmini satellite is known to secure, real-time communication platform across the IOR (ISRO)
have picked up the movement
CMS-03 will strengthen the In-
Operation Sindoor has highlight-
of China’s Yuan-class conven- dian Navy’s operational reach across years, and the Ministry of Defense ed the crucial need for India to accel-
(MoD) has approved a proposal to
tional diesel-electric subma- critical maritime domains. This newly procure a GSAT-7C satellite and re- erate investments in military space
rines in the region. During this launched satellite offers higher-ca- lated equipment for the IAF for Rs technologies. It is an open secret that
pacity bandwidth with increased dig- 2,236 crore. China provides Pakistan with space-
standoff, the Indian Navy was ital access to remote territories. The On 27 August 2015, a commu- based intelligence support, and the
able to keep a close tab on Chi- satellite operates on multiple fre- nications satellite called GSAT-6 same happened during Operation
quency bands, which include UHF, was launched by ISRO, which is also Sindoor. China’s advanced space
nese submarines entering the S, C, and Ku. The system enables the known to cater for the country’s stra- infrastructure enables it to deliver
area owing to GSAT-7. transmission of voice, video and data. tegic requirements. GSAT-6 is known timely intelligence, surveillance and
It will provide seamless communica- to provide quality and secure commu- secure communication services. Its
tion between naval ships, submarines nication. The satellite had a planned robust space-based navigation system
Rukmini has effectively assisted and aircraft across the Indian Ocean mission duration of 9 years, but it is also offers Pakistan access to mili-
the Indian Navy in monitoring the Region, up to 2,000 kms from In- still operational. However, this sys- tary-grade signals. In effect, India’s
Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. dia’s coastline. For a country with the tem is a dual-use system, and strategic adversaries hold an advantage in the
During the 2014 TROPEX exercise, world’s fourth-largest navy and grow- requirements appear to be only one military space domain. Therefore,
it successfully networked 60 ships and ing challenges in its neighborhood, component of this system. The MoD India must quickly expand its space-
75 aircraft. It covers nearly 70 per CMS-03 represents a significant during 2023 has signed a Rs 3,000 based capabilities through a coordi-
cent of the IOR, from the Persian strategic upgrade. This satellite was crore contract with NewSpace India nated effort among ISRO, the armed
Gulf to the Malacca Strait. Over the probably expected to be launched Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm forces and the private industry.
past 12 years, GSAT-7 has supported by 2022, and the contract for the Rs of ISRO, for an advanced commu-
the Indian Navy in peacetime exercis- 1,589 crore project was signed be- nication satellite, GSAT 7B, for the Group Captain (Dr) Ajey Lele (Retd.)
es and various operational missions. tween ISRO and the Indian Navy in army to fulfil a long-standing need. is the Deputy Director General, MP-ID-
This satellite has been a significant June 2019. India has plans to expand its mil- SA. Earlier, he was a Senior Fellow at
force multiplier, and much more is The first dedicated communica- itary satellite network to 78 platforms the Manohar Parrikar Institute for De-
expected from CMS-03. tions satellite, GSAT-7A, for the Indi- by 2031. The aim is to strengthen fense Studies and Analyses and a part
Since the launch of GSAT-7 in an Air Force (IAF) was launched on national weather monitoring, surveil- of its Centre on Strategic Technologies
2013, satellite communication tech- 19 December 2018. This is the only lance, reconnaissance, communica- Views expressed are of the author and
nology has advanced significantly. other exclusive satellite launched for tions, navigation and electronic intel- do not necessarily reflect the views of
Over time, the Indian Navy has be- the armed forces. It helps the IAF ligence capabilities. However, global the Manohar Parrikar IDSA or of the
come increasingly proficient in uti- connect various platforms like air- experience shows that space projects Government of India.
lizing this satellite’s various applica- craft, helicopters, UAVs, Airborne often face delays, making it likely that
tions, gaining a clear understanding early warning and control (AWACS) such a network may only become op- This article first appeared in the
of its strengths and limitations. These aircraft, missile units and radars. The erational around 2035. This raises a Comments section of the website (www.
operational insights must have played Indian Army is known to use 30 per critical question: can India afford to idsa.in) of Manohar Parrikar Institute
a vital role in the design and develop- cent of the capacity of GSAT-7A. The wait another decade to put this struc- for Defense Studies and Analyses, New
ment of CMS-03 (GSAT-7R). life period of this satellite is seven ture in place? Delhi, on November 3, 2025

www.TheIndianEYE.com