India’s next surveillance bet? A ₹15,000 crore stratospheric airships programme
The Defence Acquisition Council approved the project in February. The programme covers prototype development and procurement of an unspecified number of operational systems.
- Jul 14, 2026,
- Updated Jul 14, 2026 11:27 AM IST
India has reportedly initiated a ₹15,000 crore programme to develop indigenous stratospheric airships for surveillance, intelligence gathering and long-range communications. Several private sector aerospace companies are competing to build this high-technology platform.
According to a report in The Economic Times, the Air Ship-based High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (AS-HAPS) project is led by the Directorate of Operations (Remote) of the Indian Air Force and will be executed under the Make-I procurement procedure. This allows the government to fund up to 70 per cent of research and development costs for selected partners.
The Defence Acquisition Council approved the project in February. The programme covers prototype development and procurement of an unspecified number of operational systems. Several Indian aerospace companies have been approached, with at least two partners expected to be selected based on technical and financial capabilities, the report added.
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The airships will operate above 20 km altitude, between high-altitude drones that fly around 12 km and low Earth orbit satellites at 500-2,000 km.
Once developed, AS-HAPS platforms will carry out optical surveillance, electronic intelligence gathering and long-range communication, the report said. They will also act as relay platforms, transmitting data from ground networks to satellites.
The systems are designed to remain airborne for months, providing persistent intelligence coverage. They will carry various surveillance payloads such as radars and optical sensors, and will be capable of controlled flight and manoeuvring. The government aims to develop these sensors indigenously.
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Alongside the airship programme, the Ministry of Defence is developing fixed-wing High Altitude Pseudo Satellites capable of long-endurance missions. No Indian private company has demonstrated this technology yet, but government funding is expected to encourage competition among domestic firms.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted flight trials in May 2025 of an airship carrying an instrument payload at about 17 km altitude over Madhya Pradesh.
India has reportedly initiated a ₹15,000 crore programme to develop indigenous stratospheric airships for surveillance, intelligence gathering and long-range communications. Several private sector aerospace companies are competing to build this high-technology platform.
According to a report in The Economic Times, the Air Ship-based High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (AS-HAPS) project is led by the Directorate of Operations (Remote) of the Indian Air Force and will be executed under the Make-I procurement procedure. This allows the government to fund up to 70 per cent of research and development costs for selected partners.
The Defence Acquisition Council approved the project in February. The programme covers prototype development and procurement of an unspecified number of operational systems. Several Indian aerospace companies have been approached, with at least two partners expected to be selected based on technical and financial capabilities, the report added.
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The airships will operate above 20 km altitude, between high-altitude drones that fly around 12 km and low Earth orbit satellites at 500-2,000 km.
Once developed, AS-HAPS platforms will carry out optical surveillance, electronic intelligence gathering and long-range communication, the report said. They will also act as relay platforms, transmitting data from ground networks to satellites.
The systems are designed to remain airborne for months, providing persistent intelligence coverage. They will carry various surveillance payloads such as radars and optical sensors, and will be capable of controlled flight and manoeuvring. The government aims to develop these sensors indigenously.
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Alongside the airship programme, the Ministry of Defence is developing fixed-wing High Altitude Pseudo Satellites capable of long-endurance missions. No Indian private company has demonstrated this technology yet, but government funding is expected to encourage competition among domestic firms.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted flight trials in May 2025 of an airship carrying an instrument payload at about 17 km altitude over Madhya Pradesh.