Space as a Theatre for War - Indian Military Presence

Space is now a major new battlefield in the changing world of geopolitics. As countries, on the one hand, demonstrate that they are vehement and accountable on behalf of their own interests militarily, the militarization of space is becoming a bigger problem. India's armed forces have become more sophisticated and aggressive in the airspace area as a result of its remarkable technological advancements and its strategic intentions towards the region.

Illustration By The Geostrata

The next major year was 2019, when India set up the Defence Space Agency (DSA), which was the beginning of a new space strategy for the country. It attested to the country’s transition from the previously peaceful application of space to one that was more proactive and sought to ensure national security as well as satisfy specific geostrategic goals.

This article delves into how India's military space program has evolved during these years, the DSA's organizational pattern and capabilities, the fact that nurturing these abilities is very difficult, and the remarkable role that the private sector is playing in making India the number one writing service provider in space.

By considering the above key points, we will be able to have an overall view of India’s role in becoming a powerful internal rival in space and utilise its strength to expand its scope and impact across the skies.

WHY ARE THE SPACE ASSETS SIGNIFICANT FOR THE MILITARY?

India's decision to develop the structure of the Defense Space Agency was affected by many key domestic and international factors that influenced the country's space policy.

In the context of the threat of war that may emerge from enemy countries, particularly China, which is the leading space power in our country, the rising danger is one of the major forces.

The Chinese 2007 Anti-Satellites (ASAT) experiment and the continuing work on sposition capacities showed India, and it understood that improvement of its defense and offensive space resources was mandatorily necessary.

In addition, the Indian military would be relying heavily on space-based assets like communication satellites, GPS, and ISR sensors. Moreover, this has heightened the urgency of implementing measures to strengthen the resilience of the systems. The prospect of enemies damaging or disrupting the assets has led to the development of resilient defence mechanisms to make sure that the Indian space-based infrastructure remains safe.

India is also projecting itself as a more active player because it envisages space as an important arena for the battles of the future. India should find ways and means to improve its counter-space powers, such as directed energy weapons, co-orbital ASAT systems, and cyber-attacks, to exploit the technologies of other countries that have developed faster and are more advanced in these areas.

Besides, striving for strategic independence, demonstration of India's influence, and significance not only in the Indian Ocean but also in the entire world have been the main reasons. A well-used and controlled space can help with India's stronger position in designing security in the region and exhibiting power beyond her borders.

THE ORGANISATIONAL SETTINGS: DEFENCE SPACE AGENCY 

Bengaluru houses the Defense Space Agency as its main seat, to be in charge of all military space activities and the creation of spacefarer capabilities. Men and machines of the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force are included in the DSA with a view to including the various features of space warfare.

Coordinating Cell: This cell is the common point of contact between the DSA, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Its role is to ensure coordination between spacefaring entities and military space equipment.

Weapons Division: Three separate divisions, including ground-to-space, space-to-space, and space-to-ground, are part of this group. It performs the whole process, comprising building, launching, operation, and different space-based weapons, for example, lasers, rockets, and kinetic weapons.

The radar division has responsibility for the installation and operation of a peerless high-tech radar system throughout the whole country. It is this division of the space system that provides state-of-the-art situation awareness by monitoring both the owner's and possible opponent's assets in space.

The DSA is responsible for a number of very important basic requirements that allow it to perform more effectively. The mission line of the organisation entails the Defence Imagery Processing and Analysis Centre, which is responsible for India’s satellite-earth imagery intelligence, and the Defence Satellite Control Centre, which is in charge of the country’s military and military asset satellites.

THE ROLE OF PRIVATE SECTOR

India wants to be the biggest contender in the space sector, and incorporating businesses as well as getting them to work with the government is one of the most vital things to achieve this.

Satellite Development: The Indian private space sector has grown quite significantly in the last few years, and multitudes of new companies and start-ups are popping up with innovative approaches to satellite making. Besides the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), these companies will not only manufacture these smaller, cheaper, and more effective satellites; they will also be able to allocate them to the military.

Launch Services: It is the pace and agility of the missions of India that have often been affected due to the non-availability of government-owned launch facilities. However, military objects in the private sector increase the country's launch and consequently reduce state-owned asset dependency.

The ISR field can be covered administratively by private space companies via their own satellite groups and strong data processing capabilities, with a wide variety of services offered. These services might shepherd the military's existing ISR capabilities by making the whole architecture resilient and scalable for intelligence gathering and target selection purposes.

Ground Infrastructure: Tracking stations, command and control centres, and data processing facilities are among the infrastructures of the ground that could be owned and practised by the private sector. This could make things easier for the armed forces and help them concentrate more on their main tasks of tactical and strategic commanding.

Researchers and developers: When the DSA, ISRO, DRDO, and private R&D groups work together, they can speed up the creation of cutting-edge space technologies, such as advanced propulsion systems, in-orbit servicing, space-based directed energy weapons, and new ways to defend against spacecraft.

Commercial Applications with Two Uses: The private sector excels at creating space applications for business needs. This can lead to technologies that can be used for both purposes and be added to the military's space infrastructure. This can enhance the cost-effectiveness and flexibility of India's space-based assets.

The Indian government can benefit from the abundance of ideas, innovative methods, and low cost brought by private players by effectively incorporating them into the space ecosystem. This method of embracing collective efforts will not be limited to only improving India's space capabilities; it will also drive the country's space industry to keep improving into a large and globally competitive one.

FUTURE OF INDIA'S QUEST FOR SPACE

India is likely to face many hardships while the spacecraft is in orbit; therefore, she needs to deeply understand the strategic priorities before she persuades her military supremacy.

Complete Space Warfare Theory: DSA has to formulate a complete theory of space warfare that supports its way and style of operation for the Indian Army, Navy, and Indian Air Force. Finally, ensuring unanimity and a full understanding of space warfare will be one of the main purposes of this doctrine; it should set strategic goals, operational principles, and rules of engagement in case of a conflict in the realm of space.

Increasing Awareness of the Situation in Space: An amendment at the top of the priority ladder is all the nation must do to uplift the level of awareness regarding space-related affairs. The other thing apart from this is having more surface-based radars, the utilisation of more sophisticated tracking systems and sensors, and collecting data from both private and military space-based assets to get a 100% real-time picture of the space environment.

Defence and Space Defence: India has already evidenced that it can use ASAT defence weapons; however, the country needs to continue investing in the expansion of a broad variety of space control in the future by adding directed energy weapons, co-orbital systems, and more cyber tools to the existing tools. By having a multipronged stance of deterrence, India would therefore be able to protect its space-based assets and deny an enemy from arming his assets in space in the event of conflict with India.

CONCLUSION 

India is vigorously building and improving its military skills in space, illustrating that the nation comprehends fully how crucial the area is from a security perspective. The initiation of the Indian Defense Space Agency is a great advance in space. The establishment of the Indian Defence Space Agency demonstrates the country's holistic approach to security, offering a variety of applications for space technologies beyond just military use.

The private sector is a resource that should be shared with the government to speed up the process of evolving military space competencies as India struggles with both the development of its own capabilities and maintaining them at the desired level.

While building strong deterrence and counter-space capabilities, improving accurate space situational awareness, and forging international relations, these may be the key space-power elements that India can use in the future to be a dominant force that will ensure its influence and strategic goals in the coming decades.

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BY MUKUND SUSARLA

TEAM GEOSTRATA

info@thegeostrata.com