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← 22 October 2026's Current Affairs · Defence GA Prelims ★★★★☆ Mains ★★☆☆☆

ISRO eyes mid-2028 launch of GSAT-7B for the Army

22 October 2026 · ⏱ 2 મિનિટ · GS-III: Space; defence technology

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સમાચારમાં કેમ?

The Navy got Rukmini first, the Army waits till 2028: GSAT-7B and military satellites for Prelims

GSAT-7B is meant to be the Army's first dedicated communication satellite, due mid-2028.

Why it matters: factual, Prelims-type

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What you need to know

2 મિનિટ

ISRO is expected to launch GSAT-7B by mid-2028 as the Indian Army's first dedicated communication satellite, designed for secure military communication.

India's earlier military satellite GSAT-7, called Rukmini, serves the Indian Navy.

સ્રોત: Topper IAS editorial (PIB / The Hindu / Indian Express)

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મુખ્ય તથ્યો

Remember these

  • GSAT-7B is expected to be launched by ISRO by mid-2028.
  • It is meant to be the Indian Army's first dedicated communication satellite, for secure military communication.
  • GSAT-7, nicknamed Rukmini, is India's earlier military satellite and serves the Indian Navy.
  • GSAT-7A, a later satellite, serves the Indian Air Force.
  • GSAT-7B is an ISRO-built satellite in the GSAT communication series.
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પ્રિલિમ્સ · મેઇન્સ

How the exam will ask it

પ્રિલિમ્સ

  • GSAT-7 (Rukmini) is a military communication satellite that serves the Indian Navy.
  • GSAT-7B is planned as the Indian Army's first dedicated communication satellite, expected by mid-2028.
  • GSAT satellites are geostationary communication satellites developed by ISRO.
  • GSAT-7A was developed to serve the Indian Air Force.

મેઇન્સ

GS-III (Space; Defence Technology): Armed forces have depended on shared or commercial satellite bandwidth, limiting secure, service-specific communication. Dedicated satellites such as GSAT-7 for the Navy and GSAT-7B for the Army strengthen network-centric warfare and self-reliance in defence. The way forward is faster launch timelines, redundancy through constellations, and closer ISRO-defence-private sector coordination.

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Quick recall

Answer before you reveal

India's first dedicated military communication satellite, GSAT-7 (Rukmini), was designed primarily to serve the:

  1. Indian Army
  2. Indian Navy
  3. Indian Air Force
  4. Indian Coast Guard
જવાબ જુઓ

જવાબ: B — The correct answer is Indian Navy. GSAT-7, nicknamed Rukmini, serves the Indian Navy. GSAT-7B is planned as the Army's first dedicated communication satellite.

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