Navy to replace ageing Israeli communication systems with advanced indigenous tech

The proposed Rukmini terminals will replace the Navy's ageing systems while enabling secure communication and information-sharing between ships, submarines, aircraft and Maritime Operations Centres through GSAT-7R.

In Short

• Navy to replace ageing shipborne satellite terminals
• New terminals compatible with GSAT-7R satellite
• Existing Israel-sourced systems over 10 years old

The Indian Navy is moving to replace its ageing shipborne satellite terminals with indigenous systems as it shifts to its new dedicated communication satellite, GSAT-7R (CMS-03), in a push to strengthen secure communications across the Indian Ocean Region.

The Navy has floated an Expression of Interest (EoI) under the Make-II category of the Defence Acquisition Procedure for the development of ship-based C- and Ku-band satellite communication (SATCOM) terminals, to be known as Rukmini Terminals.

The proposed terminals will replace systems that are more than 10-12 years old, were originally sourced from Israel and are now maintained by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). The existing systems face product support and slow data-transfer issues.

The move comes as the Navy transitions from GSAT-7 Rukmini, launched in 2013, to GSAT-7R, launched aboard ISRO's LVM3-M5 in November 2025.

WHAT IS GSAT-7R?

GSAT-7R, which weighs about 4,400 kg, is designed to provide secure communication for the Navy across the Indian Ocean Region. It will enable ships, submarines, aircraft and Maritime Operations Centres to exchange voice, data and video through the satellite, using C, extended C and Ku-band frequencies.

The satellite has a footprint of approximately 2,000 nautical miles, or 3,500 km, enabling the Navy to maintain communications over a wide maritime area.

The proposed Rukmini terminals are being pursued under the Make-II category of the Defence Acquisition Procedure. Under this framework, the industry is responsible for funding the development of the prototype, with no government funding for prototype development.

The proposed system must have a minimum of 50 per cent indigenous content in hardware and embedded software.

The project has currently been reserved for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Startups and consortiums comprising up to five members are also eligible to participate.

The initiative is therefore expected to provide an opportunity for Indian defence technology companies and smaller enterprises to develop and demonstrate indigenous capabilities in shipborne satellite communications.

The Navy's existing satellite communication terminals were originally sourced from Israel and are now maintained by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).

These terminals are more than 10-12 years old and have been facing product support and slow data-transfer issues, according to the details of the requirement.

The new indigenous terminals are intended to replace these legacy systems and provide the Navy with updated satellite communication capabilities compatible with its new dedicated communication satellite.

WHAT ARE NEW RUKMINI TERMINALS?

The Rukmini satellite communication network is a key component of the Navy's network-centric warfare capability, allowing widely dispersed naval assets to remain connected and share operational information.

The capability was first demonstrated during naval exercise TROPEX 2014, when approximately 60 warships and 75 aircraft were linked through the Rukmini network into a single shared operational picture.

Such a network allows information collected by one platform to be made available to other units, with one naval asset potentially functioning as a sensor while another acts as the shooter.

The proposed indigenous terminals will consequently form an important part of the Navy's communications infrastructure as it transitions to GSAT-7R.

The development of the terminals also forms part of the Navy's broader Aatmanirbharta push, alongside the induction of indigenous warships and the deployment of the domestically developed CMS-03 satellite.

The focus is on ensuring secure communications for naval forces operating far from shore, including the ability to maintain voice, data and video connectivity across the Indian Ocean Region through the dedicated satellite communication network.

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