Assam to get Isro's advanced radar centre under Project Netra: What is it?

Isro will set up an Advanced Radar Research Centre at Chandrapur in Assam under Project Netra. The facility is expected to strengthen India's space surveillance network and protect critical space assets.

In Short

• Himanta Biswa Sarma called the planned facility a landmark moment
• The project will boost India’s space situational awareness capabilities
• It will track satellites, rocket bodies and other orbiting objects

Assam is set to become home to a major space surveillance facility as the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) prepares to establish an Advanced Radar Research Centre at Chandrapur in the state.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the development, describing it as a “landmark moment” for the state.

He said the foundation stone of the facility would be laid in Chandrapur, marking the entry of advanced national space infrastructure into Assam.

The centre will be developed as part of Project Netra, Isro’s initiative to strengthen India’s ability to monitor and track objects in space. The programme is aimed at improving the country’s Space Situational Awareness (SSA) capabilities, which are increasingly important as the number of satellites and other objects in orbit continues to grow.

According to Sarma, the facility will strengthen India’s ability to track objects in space and help protect critical space assets. Such tracking systems can provide information on the location and movement of satellites, rocket bodies and other objects orbiting Earth, supporting safer and more sustainable space operations.

The Chandrapur facility will also add to India’s growing network of ground-based space surveillance infrastructure.

Radar systems form an important component of such networks because they can track objects even when optical observations are limited by factors such as darkness or cloud cover.

Sarma said the project represents a significant technological milestone for Assam, which has historically been distant from India’s major technology and space centres.

He also expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for selecting Assam for the strategic project.

The establishment of the radar research centre comes as India expands its space activities through Isro as well as a rapidly growing private space sector.

With more satellites being launched into orbit, strengthening the ability to monitor the space environment has become increasingly important for protecting national space infrastructure and ensuring the safe operation of spacecraft.

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