India's Army to Launch Dedicated Communications Satellite by Mid-2028, officials say

The Indian Army is set to receive its own communications satellite, GSAT-7B, with an expected launch in mid-2028, following a six-month postponement from the initial November 2027 schedule due to technical issues. The Defence Ministry signed a ₹3,000-crore agreement with NewSpace India Limited, ISRO’s commercial subsidiary, to develop the five-tonne geostationary satellite, the heaviest communications payload India has built to date.

GSAT-7B will deliver secure, continuous connectivity across remote and contested border areas, enhancing battlefield command, control and coordination of weapon systems and airborne platforms. Officials highlighted the strategic value of space-based links, especially if terrestrial networks are compromised by enemy action, noting China’s growing ability to jam or disable satellites. The move follows recent contracts for the Air Force’s GSAT-7C and the Navy’s GSAT-7R, and aligns with India’s broader push to institutionalise space in its defence doctrine and to launch 52 dedicated military satellites over the next three years under the Space Based Surveillance Phase III programme.