Warfare today is being redefined by the convergence of geospatial and space capabilities across land, sea, air, cyberspace and space. As defence operations become increasingly multi-domain, technologies such as Earth Observation, Satellite Communications, GEOINT, Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT), AI, C4ISR and autonomous systems are enabling persistent situational awareness, integrated command and control, and faster decision-making. These capabilities are compressing the Observe-Orient–Decide–Act (OODA) loop, enhancing operational effectiveness and enabling coordinated action across multiple domains. As geopolitical competition intensifies and the battlespace becomes increasingly data-driven, sovereign geospatial capabilities have become fundamental to national security.
This transformation is driving demand for indigenous defence technologies and space-enabled capabilities. Initiatives such as iDEX, ADITI, the Technology Development Fund and Defence Industrial Corridors are expanding opportunities for startups, MSMEs and technology developers, while defence production reached ₹1.78 lakh crore in FY 2025–26 and exports reached ₹38,424 crore. With ₹7.85 lakh crore allocated to defence in 2026–27, including ₹1.39 lakh crore for domestic procurement, the market is increasingly opening to advanced GEOINT, Earth Observation, space-based surveillance, autonomous systems and secure communications
India’s defence and intelligence capabilities are critical to maintaining situational awareness, territorial security, strategic deterrence and operational readiness across land, maritime, air, cyber and space domains. As threats become more distributed, asymmetric and technology-driven, defence forces require persistent ISR, maritime domain awareness, secure communications, precision operations and network-centric capabilities. Strengthening these capabilities through greater indigenous participation is therefore central to rapid response, cross-domain coordination and strategic autonomy.
Aligned with the Chief of the Army Staff's vision "VIJAY", the Chief of the Naval Staff's priorities for network-centric maritime capability, and the Chief of the Air Staff's insistence for indigenous aerospace power, India is accelerating the development of sovereign, technology-enabled capabilities for future multi-domain operations. The Defence & Intelligence Summit at GeoSmart India 2026 will bring together military leadership, government, industry, startups and academia to discuss the creation of sovereign geospatial capabilities.