PARIS --- Like all major countries, India aspires to become a global superpower, and as such, seeks to establish itself as a significant player in the space race. Beyond being vital in today’s global economy, space is increasingly becoming the “commanding heights” of international strategic competition, and any nation with global ambitions has to invest this domain.
Precisely, India's space program is primarily driven by national security considerations, particularly in light of wider global space security trends and specific developments in the Indo-Pacific region. The main goal is to enhance Indian military's situational awareness, particularly in border areas, in order to better counterbalance China's deployed military capabilities. Consequently, India's growing space capabilities have the potential to significantly shift the strategic balance in the region.
Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched "Mission Defence Space (DefSpace)" in October 2022, the Indian government has intensified efforts to develop domestic military space capabilities. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced that the mission will address “75 challenges, seeking innovative solutions that meet defense requirements in the space domain”. These challenges are ranging across five main categories: launch systems, satellite systems, communication and payload systems, ground systems, and software systems.
This year India became the world's fifth-largest economy and, according to the Indian Space Research Organisation (IRSO) annual report 2021, it aims to increase its share in the global space economy from less than 2% to 10% by 2030.
India's New Space Policy: how to become a Global Space Power
In order to achieve this goal, the Indian Space Policy 2023 was released on April by the ISRO establishing guidelines and rules for the country's space ecosystem.
In this regard, Lt Gen. AK Bhatt, Director General of the Indian Space Association (ISpA), said: “While this was long overdue, it is a historic moment. It will pave the way forward for space reforms and augment private industry participation to drive the space economy opportunity for India.”
This game changer policy creates a clearer path for private sector participation. It will develop space industry standards, promote identified space priorities, and enable stronger industry-academia linkages to widen the domestic space ecosystem.
In addition, the Indian government has decided to allow private sector entities to use ISRO's facilities for launches. This move is crucial as smaller companies and startups may lack the resources necessary to access other launch facilities. Furthermore, the government intends to incentivize private investment in the development of new infrastructure, as there is a growing demand for engineering, manufacturing, and launch pads in India.
Another key aspect of this new policy is the clear outlining of the roles and responsibilities of the different institutional arrangements in India’s space program.
The industry has responded positively to the document. However, it is crucial to follow it up with appropriate legislation, as well as clear and concise rules and regulations. Narayan Prasad, the co-founder of satsearch, a global space marketplace, says “IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre) needs to have a legislative mandate, allowing it to function independently and be a truly single-window agency that does not need to await clearances from the Space Commission or the Union Cabinet."
ISRO's Milestones and Future Plans
India is already an important space player. In terms of number of space technology companies, India ranks fourth globally. Its space economy, comprising broad segments of satellite manufacturing, launch services, ground segment and satellite services, was valued at $9.6 billion in 2020 and will be worth $12.8 billion by 2025, according to a 2022 report by a non-profit space industry body Indian Space Association (ISpA) and Ernst and Young.
India benefits from its ability to innovate in a cost-effective manner, often referred to as "frugal innovation". Back in 2014, India successfully sent an orbiter to Mars at a cost of $74 million, which was significantly less than the $671 million spent by the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on its Mars probe, Maven.
Moreover, Inida belongs the select club of eight countries demonstrating capability to consistently launch orbital spacecraft. Chandrayaan-1 has tracked water on the moon: a feat no other country has achieved. The Chandrayaan-2 mission was a significant milestone for India, as it successfully placed an orbiter in lunar orbit; eventhough the lander and rover did not achieve their intended soft landing on the lunar surface.
In March 2019, India successfully tested an anti-satellite weapon. In fielding an effective anti-satellite capability, the test put India in the same league as China, Russia, and the United States.
ISRO's Reusable Launch Vehicle Autonomous Landing Mission (RLV LEX) lands at the conclusion of its first flight test. (ISRO photo)
And more recently, in April, ISRO, DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation), and the Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully conducted the Reusable Launch Vehicle Autonomous Landing Mission (RLV LEX) at the Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) in Chitradurga, Karnataka. Dropped by a Chinook helicopter at an altitude of 4.5 km, the RLV was guided by the Integrated Navigation, Guidance & Control System and touched down autonomously at Aeronautical Test Range in Chitradurga, Karnataka. This achievement brings India a step closer to designing an reusable launch vehicle, opening a range of options for the IAF in the Space domain.
From a sovereignty standpoint, New Delhi has developed the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) autonomous regional satellite navigation system that provides accurate real-time military and civilian positioning and timing services over the country since the mid- 2010’s.
In 2022, India had accomplished major milestones. ISRO’s heaviest rocket, LVM3, successfully places 36 satellites in orbit. The space-tech strat-up Agnikul Cosmos establishes India’s first private space vehicle launchpad at Sriharikota. Digantara, an aerospace company, built the world’s first commercial space weather sensor.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to launch the Aditya-L1 mission this year, the first Indian space mission to observe the Sun and the solar corona. L1 orbit allows Aditya-L1 to look at the Sun continuously.
ISRO is currently focused on the Gaganyaan Mission, a project worth around 1.1 billion U.S. dollars, which aims to launch Indian astronauts into orbit by 2024 and establish a space station by 2030. This will place India alongside the US, Russia, and China as part of an elite space club. Four Indian Air Force pilots, whose identities are being withheld for security reasons, are undergoing training for the mission in collaboration with the Russian space agency Roscosmos. In addition to the Gaganyaan mission, ISRO is also preparing for an uncrewed mission to Venus.
The global community is closely observing India's space program due to its strategic approach to space resource development. Rather than spreading its investments across various fields, India has adopted a bottom-up strategy, with an emphasis on strengthening its position globally through its launch capabilities. With the recent privatization move of the Indian space sector, there is expected to be accelerated progress in civil, commercial, and defense programs. However, India must prioritize strengthening its position in space defense applications in the coming years, as it is a critical vertical requiring strategic attention.
Another major issue will be the international partnerships New Delhi will elect in the Space Domain, which will say a lot about the country’s strategic alliances and priorities. Moscow, Paris, Washington, Tel Aviv, Tokyo and London have a lot to offer; but choices will have to be made.
About the Author: Tim Maxwell is a defense and security researcher who expresses his views on the evolution of military technologies and their impact on contemporary warfare
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