The Indian Army tested the operational readiness of its satellite-based systems deployed across the country during a complex exercise codenamed ‘Skylight’.
- The exercise was aimed at validating and showcasing the resilience of its communication capabilities in case terrestrial connectivity is disrupted in future conflicts.
- The entire range of the army’s satellite communication assets was activated from July 25 to 29 during the exercise ‘Skylight’.
- The army uses several Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) satellites and hundreds of communication terminals of different types are connected to them, including static, vehicle mounted and man-portable terminals.
- As on date, Indian Army is utilising the services of a number of ISRO satellites as it does not have a dedicated satellite.
- In March 2022, The Defence Acquisition Council cleared a proposal for a GSAT-7B communications satellite.
- The army is on course to get its own satellite by December 2025.
- The GSAT-7 series of advanced satellites built by ISRO is designed to provide communication capabilities to users over vast expanses including oceans.
- The GSAT-7B is a communication satellite part of the GSAT-7 series, which was first launched in 2013 by the Indian Space & Research Organisation (Isro). The launch of the satellite ended the dependency of the Indian Navy on foreign satellites like Inmarsat for communication services.
- Launched in the geosynchronous transfer orbit, the satellite, also dubbed Rukmini, has emerged as a potent communication tool for the armed forces for nearly a decade.
