Project NETRA (Network for Space Object Tracking and Analysis) is a space surveillance initiative by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), classified as a scheme or concept aimed at developing India's indigenous Space Situational Awareness (SSA) capability. The project was formally sanctioned in 2019 with an initial outlay of ₹400 crore. It was created because India previously relied largely on publicly available data from the United States Space Command to monitor its space assets, and the increasing orbital congestion from mega-constellations and anti-satellite tests raised the collision risk for India's fleet of over 50 operational satellites. For instance, ISRO was forced to perform 19 Collision Avoidance Manoeuvres (CAM) in 2021, up from three in 2015.
The mechanism of Project NETRA involves establishing an early warning system to detect, track, and monitor objects in space, such as space debris and inactive satellites, that could endanger active Indian satellites. It works by integrating a network of observational facilities, including connected radars, optical telescopes, data processing units, and a control centre. Key components include the existing Multi-Object Tracking Radar (MOTR) at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, telescopes at Ponmudi and Mount Abu, and plans for a high-precision, long-range telescope in Leh and a radar in the North-East. These facilities can spot, track, and catalogue objects as small as 10 cm up to a range of 3,400 km.
Project NETRA is centrally connected to the SSA Control Centre “NETRA” at ISRO's ISTRAC, Bengaluru, which was inaugurated in 2020. The project's initial focus is on Low Earth Orbit (LEO), where remote-sensing spacecraft operate, with the eventual goal of capturing the Geostationary Orbit (GEO) scene at 36,000 km where communication satellites are located. A recent development is the release of ISRO's first Indian Space Situational Assessment Report (ISSAR) in 2024, which was compiled using NETRA data. Furthermore, construction began in 2025 on India's first dedicated debris-tracking phased-array radar at the Chandrapur (Assam) site. The project elevates India's status to a peer with countries like the United States, Europe, and Japan in cooperative SSA efforts and contributes to international efforts like the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC).