Spy Satellite

INDIA has put an Israeli-built spy satellite into orbit, aimed at boosting its defence surveillance capabilities in the aftermath of the Mumbai militant attacks. The satellite, which can see through clouds and carry out day-and-night all-weather imaging, has been a long-standing demand of the Indian military. Its acquisition was fast-tracked after the November 26-29 Mumbai siege in which 10 gunmen killed 165 people. The 300kg RISAT 2 was launched by the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle rocket from the Sriharikota launch site, 90km north of the southern city of Chennai. "It has been successfully placed in the orbit 20 minutes after lift-off this morning," G. Padmanabhan, a scientist from India's Space Research Organisation, said.

Another senior scientist and member of the Space Commission, Roddam Narasimhaiah, told AFP images from the new satellite, 550km above the planet, would show "any movement on the surface of the earth". "It can be used for monitoring the country's borders round the clock, check cross-border movement and help the Indian security forces in anti-infiltration or anti-terrorist operations," Mr Narasimhaiah said. India's existing satellites get blinded at night and in the monsoon season but the one launched today will be able to work in all light and weather conditions, Narasimhaiah added. The new acquisition will also provide New Delhi with the capability to track incoming hostile ballistic missiles. IndiaIsrael like a pariah for decades, but has forged close military links with Tel Aviv in recent years with the Jewish state replacing France in 2007 as its second-largest arms supplier after Russia.