{"id":45717,"date":"2025-10-27T12:51:50","date_gmt":"2025-10-27T07:21:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=45717"},"modified":"2025-10-30T15:29:35","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T09:59:35","slug":"indias-military-space-doctrine-preparing-for-final-frontier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/indias-military-space-doctrine-preparing-for-final-frontier\/","title":{"rendered":"India\u2019s Military Space Doctrine: Preparing for the Final Frontier"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>What\u2019s in Today\u2019s Article?<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Military Space Doctrine India Latest News<\/li>\n<li>Need For a Space Security Doctrine<\/li>\n<li>India&#8217;s Key Developments in Space Security<\/li>\n<li>Conclusion: Towards a Space-Ready Military<\/li>\n<li>Military Space Doctrine India FAQs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Military Space Doctrine India Latest News<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/chief-of-defence-staff-cds\/\" target=\"_blank\">Chief of Defence Staff<\/a> (CDS) General Anil Chauhan announced that India is in the final stages of formulating a Military Space Doctrine, expected to be released within two to three months.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>A National Military Space Policy is also under development. This is an important step as the world is on the \u201ccusp of an era\u201d where space is becoming a key domain of warfare, necessitating preparedness through structured doctrines, research, and institutional frameworks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Need For a Space Security Doctrine<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Rising Global Concerns Over Weaponisation of Outer Space<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>In April 2024, Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution (drafted by the US and Japan) to prevent an arms race in outer space.\n<ul>\n<li>UN has called for a legally binding instrument to prevent arms race in outer space, but Russia and China rejected the 2024 draft resolution.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>This follows fears of Russia developing nuclear anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons.<\/li>\n<li>Military use of space has been ongoing since Sputnik (1957), with increasing threats of space warfare and space-based defence systems.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Militarization Trends: Space as the Fifth Operational Domain<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>NATO declared space a fifth operational domain in 2019, reflecting its critical role in defence.<\/li>\n<li>Countries like the US and Russia have created independent space forces and formulated doctrines to secure space dominance.<\/li>\n<li>The failure of global consensus on responsible behaviours (e.g., the 2023 Working Group report) reflects growing mistrust among major powers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Geopolitical and Astropolitical Tensions<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>India faces growing geopolitical and astropolitical tensions, especially with China and Pakistan.<\/li>\n<li>China&#8217;s space advancements, including the <strong>Space Silk Road<\/strong> and PLA\u2019s restructured security forces (including Aerospace and Cyberspace), pose direct security challenges.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Other Factors<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Rising threats such as orbital, kinetic, electronic warfare, and cyber threats necessitate resilient space-based systems.<\/li>\n<li>India&#8217;s expanding space capabilities demand clear institutional frameworks to integrate civil, commercial, and military space activities.<\/li>\n<li>Military space operations are critical for &#8211; Safeguarding national security; Addressing vulnerabilities of space-based systems; Tackling emerging space-based threats.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>India&#8217;s Key Developments in Space Security<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Adherence to Space Norms<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>India adheres to major international space treaties including:\n<ul>\n<li>1967 Outer Space Treaty (OST)<\/li>\n<li>1968 Rescue Agreement<\/li>\n<li>1972 Liability Convention<\/li>\n<li>1974 Registration Convention<\/li>\n<li>Signatory to the 1979 Moon Agreement<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>India is a member of the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) and follows the 2008 Debris Mitigation Guidelines.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>India&#8217;s Key Developments in Space Security<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>2019 ASAT Test (Mission Shakti)<\/strong>: India demonstrated its counter-space capabilities, joining the US, Russia, and China.<\/li>\n<li><strong>2010 \u2013 Integrated Space Cell<\/strong>: Enhanced coordination between the Department of Space and Armed Forces.<\/li>\n<li><strong>2018 \u2013 Defence Space Agency (DSA)<\/strong>: Formed to address space-based military threats.\n<ul>\n<li>DSA is playing a central role in: Drafting the military space doctrine; Building an integrated satellite communication grid; Identifying and countering threats to national security from both state and non-state actors.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>2023 \u2013 Indian Space Policy (ISP)<\/strong>: First formal space policy, although it lightly touches upon \u201cnational security\u201d.<\/li>\n<li><strong>52-Satellite Constellation for Defence<\/strong>: The government has approved the launch of a 52-satellite constellation for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR).\n<ul>\n<li>31 satellites to be built by the private sector<\/li>\n<li>Execution in partnership with ISRO and private players<\/li>\n<li>Aimed at bridging operational gaps and preparing for future threats<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>GSAT-9 (2017)<\/strong>: Used space diplomacy through the South Asia Satellite, strengthening regional influence (excluding Pakistan).<\/li>\n<li><strong>International Partnerships<\/strong>: India is strengthening space cooperation with QUAD, France, and others.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Conclusion: Towards a Space-Ready Military<\/h2>\n<p>India\u2019s ongoing reforms in the space sector and the development of military space doctrines and policies reflect a <strong>strategic shift<\/strong> towards embracing <strong>space as a crucial frontier for national security<\/strong>. These initiatives aim to <strong>build resilience<\/strong>, <strong>foster innovation<\/strong>, and <strong>integrate military, civil, and private capabilities<\/strong> for a robust space defence architecture.<\/p>\n<h2>Military Space Doctrine India FAQs<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Q1.<\/strong> Why is India creating a Military Space Doctrine?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans.<\/strong> To address rising space-based threats and assert strategic preparedness in the rapidly militarizing space domain.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q2.<\/strong> What is Mission Shakti?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans.<\/strong> India\u2019s 2019 anti-satellite (ASAT) test demonstrating its capability to neutralize satellites, joining global space powers.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q3.<\/strong> What challenges does India face in space?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans.<\/strong> India faces growing astropolitical threats, especially from China\u2019s military space advancements and space-based warfare capabilities.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q4.<\/strong> What role does the Defence Space Agency play?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans.<\/strong> It drafts the doctrine, builds space systems, and coordinates responses to space-based military threats.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q5.<\/strong> What is the significance of the 52-satellite constellation?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans.<\/strong> To boost India&#8217;s surveillance, intelligence, and reconnaissance capacity in collaboration with private players and ISRO.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/india-working-on-military-space-doctrine-expected-to-be-out-in-three-months-says-cds\/article69424189.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">TH<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/nujs.edu\/casl\/time-for-an-indian-national-space-security-policy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">NUJS<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>India is set to release a Military Space Doctrine to enhance space security amid rising global tensions and space warfare threats. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":45718,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-45717","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45717","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45717"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45717\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/45718"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45717"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45717"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45717"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}