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India’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Anil Chauhan, has stressed the need to strengthen the nation’s counter-space capabilities in reaction to China’s quick development and use of powerful anti-satellite missiles. During a defence satellite symposium in Delhi, General Chauhan emphasised that strengthening the NavIC constellation—India’s regional navigation satellite system—would require the domestic development of positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services.
To enhance capabilities, such as the creation of multi-sensor satellites, launch-on-demand services, and an extended network of ground stations, the CDS recommended cooperation between the military and the defence sector. Recognising space as a force multiplier in the land, sea, and cyber warfare domains, India has announced plans to invest Rs. 25,000 crore to address its defence space requirements. This announcement coincides with the call to action.
In light of changing geopolitical concerns, General Chauhan’s emphasis on counter-space capabilities as a deterrent highlights the strategic significance of protecting India’s space assets. With the NavIC constellation, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has already taken action, however, the CDS asks for more development and cooperation to guarantee a strong defensive space environment.
India continues to be the world’s greatest arms importer despite being the seventh-largest nation by total area and the fourth-largest military expenditure. For vital armaments imports, the US, France, and Russia are the main suppliers to the nation. While acknowledging the country’s previous reliance on imports, General Chauhan emphasised the need for the home defence sector to take advantage of this opportunity and help create a highly capable military space ecosystem.
Despite India’s encouragement of the privatisation of defence manufacturing, there hasn’t been much of an answer from domestic and international investors. In order to expedite the manufacturing of newer types of weapons and ammunition, the Chief of Defence Staff underlined the necessity of the industry collaborating closely with the military and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The world’s top 100 arms-producing corporations only includes three majority state-owned Indian defence manufacturing enterprises, indicating a significant disparity in comparison to the dominance of US and Chinese companies in the global arms industry. In an effort to potentially push India’s GDP over the $5 trillion barrier and make a substantial contribution to job and income generation, the CDS called on the sector to play a crucial role in achieving self-sufficiency in arms production.
