The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is likely to launch a new remote sensing satellite in April.

Resourcesat-2 will continue the mission of Resourcesat-1, to gather information on the biophysical and geophysical parameters of the Earth's surface.

The new satellite will be equipped with three advanced cameras that will transmit valuable geospatial data regarding biodiversity, forest cover, soil erosion and other geographical data.

It is also the first Indian satellite with a space-based automatic identification system that can provide guidance to ships in distress.

Also in April India will launch Youthsat in collaboration with Russia, a satellite that will study solar radiation, followed later by Xsat, a prototype micro-satellite developed in conjunction with Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.