Staying connected under fire: How GSAT-7C will boost IAF's fighting edge

GSAT-7C is a dedicated communications satellite being developed for the Indian Air Force. It is indigenously designed, developed and manufactured. Its main purpose is to strengthen the IAF’s network-centric warfare capability. That means helping sensors, commanders and weapon platforms share information and coordinate actions in real time.

The satellite is intended to provide secure and resilient communications through software-defined radios. For example, an aircraft operating far from its base could exchange information with a radar or command centre beyond direct radio range. A space-based link can carry that information across long distances when terrestrial networks or direct radio links are inadequate.

The Defence Acquisition Council cleared the project in 2021. A contract worth Rs 2,563 crore has now been signed with NewSpace India Limited. The article does not state a launch date, frequency bands, payload details or coverage area. Its effectiveness will depend on the wider network’s security, redundancy and anti-jamming measures.

The GSAT-7C programme is a Rs 2,563 crore deal signed with NewSpace India Limited. It covers the dedicated communications satellite and the associated capability intended for the Indian Air Force. The programme is significant because it adds space-based communications to the network connecting aircraft, radars, airborne warning platforms and command centres.

The Defence Acquisition Council initially cleared the project on November 23, 2021. At that stage, the approved cost was Rs 2,236 crore for the satellite and associated ground hubs. The stated goal was real-time connectivity for software-defined radios and secure beyond-line-of-sight communications for the armed forces.

The approved value later rose to Rs 2,563 crore. That is an increase of Rs 327 crore, although the Ministry of Defence has not explained the change. The article also leaves the launch date, payload details, frequency bands and coverage area undisclosed. These missing details limit what can be assessed about the programme’s final scale.

A dedicated communications satellite can strengthen the information network linking IAF aircraft, radar installations, airborne early warning platforms and command centres. Network-centric warfare depends on these elements sharing information and acting on it simultaneously. Without reliable links, commanders may see only part of the battlefield, and forces may struggle to coordinate.

For example, a fighter could detect a target while a ground radar tracks an approaching aircraft. A command centre could receive both reports and coordinate a response. If the fighter is far from its base, a satellite link can carry information beyond direct radio range. Compatible software-defined radios would use that link to exchange data over long distances.

The result could be faster information flow between operational units and decision-makers. GSAT-7C is intended to add another space-based communications path for this purpose. However, the article does not provide payload or coverage details. Its practical benefit will depend on secure design, resilient ground infrastructure and protection against disruption.

Direct radio communication has a limited reach and may not work well across long distances or difficult terrain. Terrestrial networks can also be unavailable or inadequate. These limitations matter when aircraft or military units operate far from bases, command centres or one another. Satellite communications provide another route for exchanging information.

For instance, a fighter flying far from its base may need to share information with another aircraft or a command centre outside direct radio range. A compatible software-defined radio can send and receive information through a satellite link. This creates beyond-line-of-sight connectivity and can connect dispersed operational units.

GSAT-7C is intended to support this function for the armed forces. The project’s stated objective includes real-time connectivity for software-defined radios and secure beyond-line-of-sight communications. The article does not specify the satellite’s coverage area or frequency bands. Therefore, its exact reach is not publicly described, even though the intended role is clear.

Software-defined radios are communications systems that use software to perform many tasks traditionally handled by dedicated hardware. Conventional radios often depend heavily on hardware designed for specific functions. Software-defined radios can instead support different operating modes and waveforms through software changes.

This makes military communications more flexible. A radio does not necessarily need to be replaced whenever a different communication requirement arises. Its software can be modified or updated. When such radios are integrated with satellite links, compatible systems can exchange information over long distances and beyond direct radio range.

GSAT-7C is intended to provide real-time connectivity for software-defined radios. This could help aircraft, radar installations, airborne warning platforms and command centres remain connected across a dispersed network. The flexibility improves the network’s adaptability, but it does not alone guarantee resilience. The article stresses that security also depends on encryption, anti-jamming capabilities, redundancy and protected ground infrastructure.

The IAF already operates a dedicated communications satellite, GSAT-7A. ISRO launched it on December 19, 2018. Operating in the Ku band, GSAT-7A provides communications coverage over the Indian region. Defence reporting has described it as linking aircraft, radar stations, airbases and airborne early warning platforms.

GSAT-7C is intended to add to that space-based communications capability. It is also meant to support secure, resilient communications and real-time connectivity for software-defined radios. This could provide an additional communications link for a widely dispersed IAF network, including aircraft and command centres beyond direct radio range.

The precise relationship between the satellites is not publicly clear. The government has not disclosed whether GSAT-7C will use the same frequency bands, coverage configuration or payload architecture. GSAT-7A was designed for an eight-year mission life, reaching around December 2026, but that does not necessarily mean it must immediately stop operating.

Connecting more sensors, aircraft and command systems improves information sharing, but it also creates more potential targets. An adversary could try to jam or interfere with communications, launch cyberattacks, or target satellite services and ground infrastructure. If the network fails, commanders may lose the information needed to coordinate operations.

Encryption helps protect information from unauthorised access. Anti-jamming systems can help communications continue amid deliberate interference. Redundancy provides backup components or routes if part of the system fails. Alternative communication links give forces another way to exchange information when a primary satellite service or ground network is disrupted.

These protections are central to GSAT-7C’s intended role as a secure and resilient system. A satellite alone cannot guarantee resilience. The article says effectiveness will depend on the wider communications design, including protected ground infrastructure and alternative routes. The goal is to keep the network usable, not merely to connect more platforms.