Army’s new Battlefield Surveillance System to boost decision-making capability by integrating information from all sources

The Indian Army’s ability to make informed operational decisions based on keeping a real-time watch on the enemy by integrating a vast array of sensors and observers got a boost on Monday, with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launching ‘Sanjay’, an indigenously developed Battlefield Surveillance System (BSS).

Sanjay is an automated system which brings together inputs from all ground and aerial battlefield sensors, processing them to confirm their veracity, preventing duplication and fusing them to produce a Common Surveillance Picture (CSP) of the battlefield over secured Army data networks and satellite communication links.

The BSS is equipped with state-of-the-art sensors and cutting-edge analytics. It will monitor the vast land borders, prevent intrusions, assess situations with unparalleled accuracy and prove to be a force multiplier in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, a statement issued by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) read.

It will enhance battlefield transparency and transform the future battlefield through a centralised web application which will provide inputs to the Command and Army Headquarters along with the Indian Army Decision Support System. This is the first such system with the Indian Army. So far, the Army was relying on isolated or stand-alone networks to meet its requirements in the field.

These systems will be inducted into all operational brigades, divisions and corps of the Army in three phases – in March, July and October 2025. The deployment across the Army is expected to be complete by December 2025, ensuring that all operational formations are equipped with the capability to enhance coordination and synergy.

This would enable commanders to operate in both conventional and sub-conventional operations in a network-centric environment. Its induction will be an “extraordinary leap towards data and network centricity in the Indian Army”, the MoD said.

Sanjay has been jointly developed by the Indian Army and the defence public sector undertaking Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), in the ongoing pursuit for self-reliance at a cost of Rs 2,402 crore.

Mounted on heavy-duty, high mobility vehicles, the BSS is capable of receiving, processing and integrating inputs from all battlefield surveillance devices at the Division and Corps level, to aid the commanders by carrying out situation assessment using multi-sensor data fusion (MSDF) and displays the tactical picture on a map background using a customised Geographic Information System (GIS).

According to information released by BEL, the functions and features of Sanjay include

• High mobility and automation
• A monitoring centre, a communication control unit, a generator and various monitoring communication terminals
• Collection of data from various types of sensors located in the field
• A map that displays the strategic position in the background
• Decision support to commanders using multi-sensor data fusion techniques
• Using artificial intelligence and information based techniques to identify and assess the position of the target
• Transfer of voice, video, content and images over highly secure, high speed digital communication links
• Multi-layered security using fibre optics and VHF, HF and UHF hybrid communication networks

Sanjay effectively links together inputs from thousands of sensors and observation platforms, including satellites, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, air defence radars, battlefield surveillance radars, weapon locating radars, long-range reconnaissance and observation system, thermal imagers as well as recce vehicles and human foot patrols.

The Army’s existing Artillery Combat Command and Control System (ACCCS) would also be integrated with Sanjay. The ACCCS integrates and automates the functioning of artillery units within a particular theatre from the fire control centers at the corps level down through division and brigades to the battery command posts of a regiment and an individual gun-firing position.

The BSS provides early warning of enemy movements and activities, enabling the Army to take proactive counter measures to counter potential threats. Employment of BSS, with its round-the-clock all-weather surveillance and reconnaissance operation, also cuts down on physically exposing troops to unnecessary risks.

By enhancing situational awareness and enhancing information dissemination, enabling swift decision-making and executing counter-actions, Sanjay will be a force multiplier, strengthening the Indian Army’s ability to meet emerging security threats and ensuring a technological edge in complex operational scenarios.