A few days after the defence ministry announced that it had signed a ₹2,563-crore contract with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), Bengaluru, for the indigenously designed, developed and manufactured GSAT-7C satellite for the Indian Air Force (IAF), the Indian Army is set to get a similar satellite—GSAT-7B—under a contract signed a few years ago.
The Indian Army currently lacks a dedicated communication satellite and is dependent on the IAF's GSAT-7A for its needs.
According to a report by Hindustan Times, senior officials familiar with the development said that the Indian Army's first dedicated communication satellite is expected to be launched by ISRO by mid-2028.
Officials were quoted as saying that the satellite will ensure round-the-clock, secure connectivity for the Indian Army, especially in remote border areas and challenging terrain.
The satellite will support battlefield command and control as well as the force's day-to-day operations.
In 2023, the defence ministry signed a ₹2,963-crore deal with NSIL for GSAT-7B to provide high-throughput communication services to the Indian Army.
"The satellite will considerably enhance the communication capability of the Indian Army by providing mission critical beyond line of sight communication to troops and formations as well as weapon and airborne platforms. The geostationary satellite, being a first-of-its-kind in the five-tonne category, will be developed indigenously by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)," the defence ministry said at the time.
The launch of the GSAT-7B satellite was initially planned for November 2027, but technical reasons have caused a six-month delay, according to officials.
