The Indian space program has hitherto been geared towards socio-economic development. However, in the era of asymmetric and hybrid battlefield, and multi-domain combat, space becomes an imperative to boost defence preparedness. The relevance of geospatial data and space-based assets is growing rapidly with strides in technology and advanced weapons and systems, including unmanned and hypersonic platforms.
Integrating Capabilities
India is actively pursuing defence space capabilities in the shadow of looming growth and competition from neighbouring countries like China and Russia. With the quickly expanding space agency of China i.e. China National Space Administration, the country has very aptly demonstrated its expertise in anti-satellite weaponry and space-based reconnaissance.
“India is integrating space capabilities to service its military needs. However, this has been slow due to a lack of capacity and resource infusion to create a dedicated space military architecture that can meet the needs of the Indian Armed Forces,” says Kartik Bommakanti, Senior Fellow with the Strategic Studies Programme, Observer Research Foundation.
“As our dependencies on space grow so does our vulnerability. Building a resilient space infrastructure is paramount,” emphasizes Brig G Manoj, Defence Space Agency, India.
“We need to invest to develop new technologies for the defence sector, integrate space technologies into military operations and start collaborating with partners to develop military space strategy. Owning space technology is also essential as owning the technologies on earth for our national security,” he stresses.
Over the last decades, the Indian military has taken major steps toward the nation’s defence needs. These include the launch of several communications and surveillance satellites as well as anti-satellite technologies such as EMPs.
VS Subrahmanian (VSS), Professor, Northwestern University, United States of America says, “India must develop pre-emptive cyber technology to hack enemy satellites and their communications, geolocation capabilities, and cyber-defences to protect against other nations hacking India’s satellite systems.” “Penetration testing of Indian satellites and probing adversarial nations’ satellite systems must become an urgent priority. In addition, India must continuously monitor the space systems of other nations to understand their intentions, strengths, and weaknesses,” he adds.
Renewed strategy
The US has a Space Systems command that is responsible for ensuring that the right space systems are acquired and are interoperable with the Army, Navy and Air Force, a Space Operations Command that plans operations on top of the space systems infrastructure, and a Space Training & Readiness Command that focuses on training.
As Col. Gulshan Mehta explains Electronic war has three basic elements: probe, attack and protect.
“The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), with the operational name NavIC, was developed partly because access to foreign government-controlled GNSS is not guaranteed in hostile situations, as was the case in 1999 when the US denied the Indian request for Global Positioning System (GPS) data in the Kargil region,” he added.
Space assets play a critical role in modern warfare. A strong interoperable strategy allows for coordinated use of these assets to maximize their effectiveness. The benefits of a Strong Interoperable Space Strategy are witnessed by enhanced military effectiveness, faster decision-making, and cost efficiency.
Real-time information sharing between branches through a Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) facilitates quicker and more informed decisions during operations. Avoiding duplication of efforts and optimizing resource allocation through joint planning leads to cost savings. “India does not have a space strategy that is officially declared or even a strategic guidance
document on space operations whether for offensive missions, defensive missions, Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and a whole range of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) tasks and missions,” adds Bommakanti. “However India does need a comprehensive review and strategy for greater joint partnership between the services and Defence Space Agency (DSA),” he further states.
Geospatial Intel for National Security
The importance of GEOINT or Geospatial Intelligence for our Armed Forces remains vital, as is the need for adopting emerging GEOINT technologies, developing integrated security ecosystems, and international cooperation. “We need to work on fusion of intelligence data. Additionally, the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) is the central repository for all intelligence inputs of the three Services including Imagery Intelligence (IMINT) and Electronic Intelligence (ELINT). But have we integrated the aspects of topography with the DIA?” questions Lt. Gen Prakash Katoch (Retd), a Special Forces veteran of the Indian Army.
The security of geospatial data required by the Armed Forces is more complex and different than relational geospatial data; requiring data organization and structures to deny data manipulation and theft that would seriously compromise national security. India needs to assert its stand as a global space power carefully navigating through geopolitical realities, technological advancements and strategic requirements.
For this, India needs to have a multi-front approach that constitutes satellite communication, navigation, reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities.
Future Innovations
According to Lt. Col. Amandeep Singh, India urgently needs the following capabilities:
AI-based Satellite Imagery Analysis: Real-time AI and Deep Learning-based solution for target identification and classification along with recognition of various spatial parameters and troop movements through satellite imagery.
Integration of C4ISR System in Space ISR: Fusion of data from multiple sources in Space ISR to produce a comprehensive intelligence picture with C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance aned Reconnaissance).
IoT, IoMT & IoBT: The current social and military drifts and increased degree of progression of technologies with development in AI and IoT are revolutionary progressive actions in the military structures. Such growth would lead to a fundamental revolution The space reforms that have been initiated by the government of India are actually a seminal moment in history. and introduce strategies and military operations determined by AI and IoT.
Cyber Offensive: Cyberattacks are increasingly common and effective implementation could provide strategic value. Moreover, cyberattacks can threaten the stability of the battle spaces. Therefore, militaries would have to upgrade their proficiency and skills while employing progressive structures and not shedding their conventional warfighting skills at the same time.
Role of the Private Sector
The space reforms that have been initiated by the government of India are actually a seminal moment in history. “As we transition from the government led space programme to the private sector, we are going to see an expansion of both capabilities and capacities, because at the end of the day, a single organization run on government funds can only grow to a certain extent,” asserts Air Vice Marshal DV Khot (Retd.), Principal Consultant IN-SPACe, and former Director General, Defence Space Agency.
“We are going to see an expansion in capabilities, meaning advanced technologies produced through research and development, as well as in manufacturing capacity. There is a great possibility of India becoming a hub for a lot of space sector activities such as small satellite development, launch services, and particularly downstream applications,” he adds.
The options that India is going to get in terms of technology, applications and solutions, are simply going to be of macro scale. With all space programs lined up, the domain is going to benefit hugely from the private sector. Bommakanti says, “The private sector will have to step up investments and work alongside the military.
The armed forces are starting or will need to allocate more money from their own budgets for more robust space military assets, which is tentatively underway.” VSS states that India’s private sector in the space domain has two major advantages over foreign nations: a focus on frugal innovation, and a focus on technology that addresses specific threats to India.
“As an example, small and cheap drones have had an outsized impact on the Ukraine war. In the same way, we would expect swarms of small, cheap, weaponized satellites to potentially nullify any advantages that India’s space adversaries might have,” adds VSS.
India’s private sector has a substantial yet unrealised role to play in advancing India’s military space programme and the country’s space military capabilities.
