Two months before terrorists killed 26 people in Kashmir, a sharp and unusual surge in high-resolution satellite image orders of Pahalgam and surrounding regions was detected. Between 2 and 22 February 2025, 12 orders—double the normal monthly count—were placed with Maxar Technologies, a US-based space tech giant known for serving global government and defence clients, claims an editorial in The Print.
These orders coincided with the period after Maxar entered into a partnership with Business Systems International Pvt Ltd (BSI), a Pakistan-based geo-spatial company linked to federal crimes in the United States. While the data does not specify whether BSI directly placed the orders, defence analysts and scientists told The Print that the timing was too suspicious to ignore, particularly in light of the background of BSI’s founder, Obaidullah Syed.
Syed, a Pakistani-American businessman, was charged by a US federal court in 2022 for illegally exporting high-performance computing equipment and software to the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC)—an agency engaged in developing ballistic missiles and nuclear components. He was sentenced to one year and a day in prison and forfeited $247,000 in criminal proceeds, as stated by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Despite this criminal record, Syed remains the listed contact for BSI on Maxar’s portal. The company, founded in 1980, is headquartered in Karachi, with branches in Lahore, Islamabad, and Faisalabad, and offers services in high-performance computing, GIS, data mining, and defence solutions.
In June 2024, just after the Maxar-BSI partnership began, orders for Pahalgam satellite images started appearing. Maxar’s internal portal, accessed by The Print, revealed that images also covered sensitive Indian regions like Pulwama, Anantnag, Poonch, Rajouri, and Baramulla. The cost per image began at Rs 3 lakh, rising with resolution quality.
Orders peaked in February 2025, with purchases made on the 12th, 15th, 18th, 21st, and 22nd. No orders followed in March, but one was placed on 12 April—just ten days before the 22 April terror attack in Pahalgam. Two more were placed on 24 and 29 April. None have been placed since.
An ISRO scientist stated that although it remains unclear if these images were used in planning the attacks, India could urge Maxar to probe the source and purpose of those orders. The scientist also explained that satellite surveillance is now central to intelligence gathering, though India remains reliant on foreign providers as it continues to build its own capability.
Another Maxar subscriber said paying partners can view others’ orders unless the content is classified as strategic—then, access is restricted. However, the origin of any image order remains confidential unless Maxar grants permission, which it typically does not.
Concerns over misuse were also echoed by Lieutenant General AK Bhatt (retd), former Director General of Military Operations and current Director General of the Indian Space Association (ISpA). He remarked that the commercial availability of high-resolution satellite images has enhanced global ISR capabilities but also created serious vulnerabilities when accessed by rogue actors.
A defence expert highlighted that even a 30 cm resolution can expose significant infrastructure details, and anything below 10 cm can support facial profiling. Such high-precision imagery usually requires special clearance from the country being imaged.
Maxar Technologies is known for offering images with pixel resolutions between 30 cm and 15 cm. Its clientele in India includes the Ministry of Defence, ISRO, and at least 11 domestic space tech firms.
The legitimacy of BSI as a Maxar partner has raised red flags. Partners not only access services but also function as resellers, solution integrators, and product developers. Most of Maxar’s partners are also its customers.
The US Department of Justice has linked BSI to federal crimes, citing that it had acted as a middleman in illegally routing advanced tech to Pakistan. During the trial, US agencies revealed that Syed disguised his exports as being meant for universities and his companies, while in reality, they were used by PAEC, a body designated by the US government as a national security threat.
A source subscribing to Maxar services criticized the company for onboarding BSI without adequate due diligence, warning that such partnerships are risky and that India should diplomatically pressure these firms to halt dealings with entities in Pakistan.
The Remote Sensing Data Policy, Geospatial Data Guidelines, and the Spacecom Policy govern access to high-resolution geospatial data in India. While general access is permitted, data for sensitive regions—such as military zones and nuclear facilities—is either restricted or offered at reduced resolution.
An ISRO scientist said that Maxar, as a private business, prioritises paying clients and has no loyalty obligations. Until India fully deploys its own surveillance satellite infrastructure, such dependency will continue to be a critical national security challenge.
