Among the many facets of the Indo-Pak conflict of May 2025, which witnessed the use of drones, missiles, and artillery, the role of space assets remained less visible but not insignificant by any stretch. Space domain is not as visibly spectacular as missiles, drones or fighter jets, yet in modern warfare it functions as the neural hub of network-centric operations that increasingly define contemporary battlefield environment around the globe. Beyond intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, satellites are critical for communication, navigation, and command and control. In case of nuclear powers, such as India and Pakistan, the space domain holds an even greater significance. Throughout the course of the conflict in May 2025, this domain, away from the flamboyance, discreetly shaped the way operations unfolded, and once the dust settled, both militaries almost certainly returned to the drawing board to scrutinize weaknesses and chart new priorities for the future.
India’s air strikes inside Pakistan on the night of May 7, conducted under the banner of “Operation Sindoor,” highlighted how space assets underpin precision warfare. The strikes employed SCALP-EG and BrahMos missiles guided by satellite-based navigation, with Indian officials later claiming that ISRO’s resources and commercial imagery were used to refine targeting and assess damage. Pakistan, however, achieved verified defensive successes that same night. By fusing inputs from ground-based radars, airborne platforms, and space-enabled sensors, it managed to shoot down six Indian fighter jets and complete its own “kill chain.” Pakistani officials further claimed that during subsequent exchanges they were able to neutralize, or achieve “soft kills,” of some BrahMos missiles by spoofing GPS signals. Reports from both sides also indicated the use of reversible jamming against each other’s communication satellites to degrade operational effectiveness. Even within the conventional domain, these episodes demonstrate that advanced weapon systems are only as effective as the security and reliability of the space infrastructure that supports them.
India’s political and military leadership, however, has been, at times dubiously, restrained about operational details, particularly concerning its aerial losses. The Indian Army’s Deputy Chief, Lieutenant General Rahul Singh, publicly stated that Pakistan appeared to possess “real-time” knowledge of India’s force deployments. He attributed this to Chinese assistance, suggesting that Beijing may have provided live intelligence feeds. Yet India’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan, earlier told Bloomberg that no signs existed of Chinese involvement. On the Pakistani side, officials and analysts argued that the country had anticipated such a confrontation for years and had prepared accordingly, without needing direct foreign support. Whatever the case, the availability of real-time reconnaissance during combat proved to be a decisive factor, underscoring why both states are likely to prioritize further investments in this domain.
The lessons for India were particularly stark. Indian analyst concluded that the absence of a comprehensive, round-the-clock surveillance architecture over Pakistan had left the military at a disadvantage leading to the unfavorable results that panned out during the course of conflict. In response, the government has approved the accelerated development and launch of 52 dedicated military satellites. Following the earlier “Integrated Military Space Assets” phase, which had relied on GSAT and Cartosat series satellites for communication and imaging, this new third phase of India’s space-based surveillance program envisions 21 satellites launched by ISRO and an additional 31 by private space companies. The target is to complete this ambitious deployment by 2029, significantly strengthening India’s ability to monitor, track, and respond in future crises. Parallel to this buildup, India is working toward a comprehensive military space doctrine, reflecting its broader ambition to deepen the militarization of space.
Pakistan’s position is comparatively modest, shaped by economic constraints, yet it has laid down a strategic roadmap through Space Vision 2047. The plan aims to establish a fleet of five communication satellites in geostationary orbit and six remote sensing satellites in low earth orbit. Progress, while incremental, has been tangible. Pakistan has already launched the PakTES-1A and 1B Earth observation satellites, followed in 2025 by PRSC-EO1 and PRSS satellites, both enhancing remote sensing capacity. The naming of these projects suggests that more in the series are planned, though official timelines remain opaque. While these achievements mark substantial steps forward, Pakistan’s ability to maintain persistent real-time surveillance of India still falls short of strategic needs. This is a reality the security planners are acutely aware of, and it is reasonable to assume that expanding the national satellite constellation has become a priority objective in the years ahead.
The Indo-Pakistan conflict of May 2025 served as an inflection point for both countries, offering a rare opportunity to test their strengths and confront their vulnerabilities in a live, multi-domain battle environment. The experience underscored that modern warfare is no longer confined to land, air, and sea, but increasingly shaped by space and cyberspace. Both India and Pakistan emerged from the confrontation with a heightened awareness of the centrality of secure, resilient, and integrated space assets to their national security. It has also accelerated investment in complementary cyber capabilities, as the synergy between space and cyberspace will be pivotal in determining the outcome of future conflicts.
Author: Akash Shah, Research Officer, Strategic Vision Institute.
