Guwahati: Assam is moving to build its own space-based monitoring system, becoming the first state in India to initiate a tender for multiple earth-observation satellites aimed at flood management and border surveillance.
The proposed mission, titled AssamSAT, is expected to provide near real-time imagery to help authorities track changing river conditions in the Brahmaputra valley and monitor sensitive areas along the state’s borders.
The Assam Science Technology and Environment Council issued an Expression of Interest (EOI) on March 16, inviting private aerospace firms to design, manufacture, launch, operate and eventually transfer ownership of the satellites to the state government.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had announced the initiative in the 2025-26 State Budget, describing it as a technological measure to support his vision of an “infiltration-free Assam.”
According to the Chief Minister, traditional border fencing is not effective in the State’s chars seasonally submerged river islands along the Bangladesh border, making satellite-based monitoring a more practical alternative for round-the-clock surveillance.
The tender proposes deploying at least five satellites in low-earth orbit. However, the brief EOI does not clarify whether these satellites will function independently or as a coordinated constellation. Interested companies can access the full EOI document by paying a fee of Rs. 30,000.
If operated as a constellation, the satellites could revisit the same area within a few hours and capture high-resolution images. Such rapid monitoring would be particularly useful during floods, when water levels and affected zones change quickly.
The EOI also does not detail the sensors to be used. Given Assam’s extended cloudy weather, the satellites are expected to carry synthetic aperture radar (SAR), which can capture images through clouds and in darkness.
Currently, state disaster management agencies must request satellite data from the National Remote Sensing Centre, which processes and supplies the imagery. Having dedicated satellites would significantly reduce response time.
The State’s location near the Siliguri Corridor, the narrow land link connecting the Northeast to the rest of India has also increased the importance of continuous monitoring for security purposes.
Sarma has further indicated that the satellite system could be used to track drug-trafficking routes and monitor wildlife crimes, including poaching in Kaziranga National Park.
In 2024, NewSpace India Ltd approved a private-sector earth-observation constellation led by Dhruva Space and Pixxel. That project involves small satellites equipped with optical and hyperspectral sensors in low-earth orbit to deliver near real-time imagery for agriculture, disaster response and security applications while being owned and operated by industry.