India must develop offensive and defensive space capabilities, considering the space warfare threat - Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan

New Delhi: India’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan, informed that the competition to militarise space is intensifying, raising the possibility of a space war. He warned that India must develop offensive and defensive space capabilities considering the present and future challenges.

Moreover, General Anil Chauhan was the chief guest at the Indian Defspace Symposium, where he inaugurated the three-day conference organised by the Indian Space Association. While speaking at the event, General Anil Chauhan highlighted the competition to militarise space, which enhanced the cyber, land, air and sea capabilities and expressed India’s present concerns. He said, ‘Military use of space is highly influential, and India cannot stay behind in the race’. He pointed out that Russia and China have already conducted anti-satellite tests. General Chauhan explained the need for India to develop offensive and defensive space capabilities considering the present and future challenges.

General Chauhan asserted the need to use advanced technologies, urgently upgrading the satellite network. Increase the use of satellite-based systems for obtaining confidential information and surveillance. General Chauhan also highlighted the need for India to ensure telecommunication security using satellites.

General Chauhan highlighted that new avenues of war are seen in the ongoing Ukraine war, wherein private commercial space companies like SpaceX and Maxar are being used. As the competition to militarise space intensifies, outer space is becoming a battlefield fast expanding. This is changing the nature of warfare, explained General Chauhan.

Meanwhile, General Chauhan said space overcrowding harms the environment and other space assets. He praised ISRO’s project NETRA, an early warning system designed to protect India’s space assets from other satellites, space debris and threats.