The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Sunday launched its heaviest communication satellite, CMS-03, marking a crucial leap for India’s independent satellite capabilities and maritime security.
The 4,410 kg CMS-03 satellite successfully rode into a geosynchronous transfer orbit aboard the robust LVM-3 rocket, also known as Bahubali of Indian rockets, from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh at 5.26pm IST. The launch signaled a new era in indigenous heavy satellite launches and oceanic communications.
CMS-03, also referred to as GSAT-7R, is tailor-made to serve as the backbone of the Indian Navy’s communication network across the Indian Ocean.
The satellite is loaded with multi-band payloads, including C, extended C, and Ku bands, that enable secure, high-capacity voice, data, and video transmissions between warships, submarines, aircraft and shore-based command centers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated ISRO for the successful launch of India’s heaviest communication satellite, CMS-03. “Our space sector continues to make us proud. Congratulations, ISRO, on the successful launch of India’s heaviest communication satellite, CMS-03. Powered by our space scientists, it is commendable how our space sector has become synonymous with excellence and innovation. Their successes have furthered national progress and empowered countless lives,” he posted on social media.
Unlike its ageing predecessor GSAT-7 “Rukmini,” CMS-03 offers significantly expanded coverage and bandwidth, ensuring real-time connectivity even in remote or contested ocean zones.
With upgraded encryption, broad frequency support (UHF, S, C, and Ku bands), and high-throughput transponders, CMS-03 will underpin network-centric naval operations, boost situational awareness, and support India’s blue-water ambitions.
The satellite is a critical node in the Navy’s Maritime Domain Awareness grid-which allows coordinated responses to threats, improved fleet coordination, and secure information flow across vast oceanic distances.
CMS-03’s footprint covers the Indian subcontinent and wide swathes of the adjoining Indian Ocean Region, far beyond traditional terrestrial networks.
Its continuous geosynchronous position ensures uninterrupted, secure communications for both the armed forces and civilian agencies involved in disaster response, remote sensing, and telemedicine. The satellite’s introduction reduces India’s reliance on foreign platforms for strategic connectivity, representing a stride in self-reliance under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. It also future-proofs India’s maritime security architecture against evolving challenges.
