The Indian Air Force (IAF) will get its own dedicated satellite, providing greater connectivity among aircraft and enabling faster decision-making. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Thursday inked a Rs 2,563-crore contract for the satellite, named GSAT-7C.So far, the IAF has been sharing satellite transponder space on other satellites with the Navy and the Army.The MoD said the contract for GSAT-7C, valued at Rs 2,563 crore, was signed with NewSpace India Limited, a commercial arm of the Bengaluru-headquartered Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Sources said having a dedicated satellite operational was still 36-40 months away, the time needed to build one.The MoD said, “This indigenously designed, developed and manufactured satellite will enhance the secure, resilient and seamless communication capabilities for the assets of the IAF, thereby strengthening operational effectiveness.”Separately, the MoD also signed a Rs 1,543-crore contract with public sector Bharat Dynamics Limited for the supply of ‘Varunastra’, an indigenous ship-launched anti-submarine torpedo. The Navy has already been using the torpedo and the new order will add to its existing arsenal. “Equipped with advanced manoeuvring capabilities, it is capable of engaging enemy submarines at long ranges, thereby enhancing the anti-submarine warfare capability of the Indian Navy,” the MoD said.What GSAT-7C meansIndia’s military use of space began in the 1990s, when imagery from international satellites was used. In 2013, ISRO launched GSAT-7, known as ‘Rukmini’. All naval ships and aircraft are connected to it.The Defence Acquisition Council, the Defence Ministry’s apex decision-making body, had in 2021 given in-principle approval for the procurement of GSAT-7C and its ground hubs. The IAF was not short of satellite connectivity as it shared transponders with the other forces. However, with new-age warfare demanding faster connectivity, a dedicated satellite will provide an edge to the IAF, sources said.The GSAT-7C will provide better real-time connectivity and improve the ability to communicate over greater distances. This will aid the transmission of real-time data and videos between IAF aircraft in the sky and ground commanders sitting in war rooms.The data will be beamed across the IAF’s dedicated ground-based nodes using a very high level of encryption to prevent snooping.In December 2018, ISRO launched the GSAT-7A satellite, equipped with Ku-band transponders to interlink IAF fighter aircraft, airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) platforms, unmanned aerial vehicles, ground radar stations and major airbases. GSAT-7A is shared between the IAF and the Army.Last year, the Navy got a replacement for its satellite Rukmini. The ISRO launched CMS-03, known in military circles as GSAT-7R, on November 2, 2025. It is a multi-band communication satellite intended to provide services across a broad oceanic region, including the Indian landmass.