00:00Space is the ultimate high ground, secure it now or risk being left blind.
00:07That warning from Air Marshal Ashutosh Deekshit isn't just dramatic, it's a reflection of
00:14India's biggest defense challenge yet, countering China's explosive rise in space militarization.
00:28In just over a decade, China has built what experts call a great wall in the skies.
00:36From only 36 satellites in 2010, China now operates over 1,000 with more than 500 dedicated
00:45to intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
00:51These includes Yaogen, TJS and Gaofensee satellites equipped with high resolution cameras, synthetic
01:01aperture radars and electronic intelligence systems.
01:06But it doesn't stop there.
01:08China has reorganized its military, forming the PLA Aerospace Force and deployed both soft-kill
01:16systems like cyber attacks and hard-kill tools like anti-satellite missiles and co-orbital
01:24satellites.
01:25Together, they form a deadly Kilmash, an integrated network linking satellites to ground, navy and
01:35air forces.
01:41In May 2025, India launched Operation Sindhur against Pakistan.
01:47That operation exposed a painful truth.
01:50Delays in satellite data, acquisition left critical gaps in real-time intelligence.
01:57Even more concerning, Pakistan's defense minister later confirmed that China had shared satellite
02:03intelligence with Park during the conflict, underscoring the depth of their strategic cooperation.
02:16India's Answer
02:17The Space-Based Surveillance Phase III program .
02:23By 2029, India plans to launch 52 dedicated defense satellites with the first satellite expected
02:31by April next year.
02:35These constellations will include AI-powered satellites in low Earth orbit and geostationary Earth orbit
02:43offering day-night all-weather surveillance.
02:47Key features are real-time imaging and SAR data, thermal imaging to spot hidden moments and
02:56autonomous inter-satellite communication.
03:00So if one satellite spots activity, it can direct another to zoom in instantly.
03:07This means Indian forces could get near real-time intelligence without waiting to download and
03:15process huge amount of raw data.
03:22The SBS3 program was cleared in 2023 with a budget of nearly 27,000 crore rupees.
03:31It's also part of a broader push, India's defense budget hit a record 6.8 lakh crore rupees in
03:39financial year 2026 and may cross 7 lakh crore rupees after Operation Sindhur.
03:46By 2047, projections suggest defense spending could rise five-fold with major investment
03:54in space-based intelligence and R&D.
03:57China's space fleet is expanding at breathtaking speed, but with the SBS3 program, India is building
04:06its own sovereign space shield, aiming to keep the nation secure in a future where wars might
04:12be decided far above the Earth.
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04:22For more updates on India's space and defense strategies, stay tuned to ASEANet News.
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