The Union Territory of Ladakh is set to benefit significantly from India’s upcoming space missions and satellite applications, with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announcing multiple initiatives dedicated to the region’s unique geography, resources, and development needs.
This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
By 2027–2028, ISRO plans to launch a series of advanced satellites — Resourcesat-3 & 3A, Resourcesat-3S & 3SA, HRSAT, G20 Satellite and TRISHNA — which will improve remote sensing observations across the country, including Ladakh. Currently, data from operational satellites such as Cartosat-2 series, Cartosat-3, Resourcesat-2 & 2A, RISAT-1A, INSAT-3DR & 3DS, Oceansat-3, SARAL and NISAR are already supporting monitoring and development activities in the region.
To strengthen connectivity in the remote Himalayan landscape, 12 communication satellites presently cover Ladakh, enabling telecom and broadband services. Additionally, 10 foreign satellites and three LEO/MEO constellations have been authorized to provide services in the Union Territory.
Focusing on Ladakh’s fragile ecology and scarce resources, ISRO has rolled out multiple region-specific projects:
Ladakh Specific Modelling and Space Applications (LAMA): Scientific investigations into natural resources, climate change, and environmental management in Ladakh. A customized geoportal helps in natural resource assessment.
Geo-Ladakh Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI): A comprehensive geoportal developed for Ladakh to support agriculture and horticulture, identify sites for artificial glaciers, conserve water resources, map solar and wind energy potential, and assess flood hazards.
AMRUT Urban Planning: GIS-based Master Plans prepared for Leh and Kargil towns using high-resolution satellite data (AMRUT 1.0) and development of waterbody information systems (AMRUT 2.0).
Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) Change Analysis: Tracking land use changes in Ladakh at a detailed scale between 2020–21 and 2025–26.
Ladakh also features in ISRO’s Natural Resources Census Programme, which monitors land degradation, desertification, and wastelands across the Himalaya. Under the Mountain Ecosystem Studies of Northwest Himalaya, Ladakh is being monitored for resource management, natural hazards, and geodynamics.
In terms of disaster preparedness, ISRO’s Disaster Management Support Programme (DMSP) provides real-time satellite-based inputs for handling natural hazards across Ladakh’s vulnerable terrain.
Significantly, under the NETRA project (Network for Space Object Tracking and Analysis), an advanced optical telescope is being established at Hanle in Ladakh to track objects in the geostationary orbit (GEO), positioning the region as a critical node in India’s space security efforts.
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, informed the Lok Sabha that these initiatives reflect Ladakh’s growing importance in India’s space programme, both for ecological sustainability and for national-level strategic and scientific advancements.
Under the scope of NETRA (Network for Space Object Tracking and Analysis) project an optical telescope is being established at Hanle, Ladakh for tracking objects at GEO.