Amid Militarisation Of Space, CDS Says, Develop Tech To Secure Sat-assisted Communication Lines

The aim for all of us should be towards developing dual-use platforms with a special focus towards incorporating cutting-edge technology and we must expand our NAVIC constellation, provide agile space-based ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) and ensure secure satellite-assisted communications, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Anil Chauhan said on Tuesday in New Delhi.

CDS Gen Chauhan was speaking at the ‘Indian DefSpace Symposium 2023’ organised by  Indian Space Association (ISpA) in association with Defence R&D Organisation (DRDO).

Gen Chauhan emphasised the need for developing dual-use platforms with a special focus towards incorporating cutting-edge technology and the DRDO Chairman called upon to work closely with the academia, startup, MSMEs and larger companies.

He further said that we need to explore the miniaturisation of satellites and reusable launch platforms to mitigate costs and challenges and accelerate the pace of augmenting our space-based capabilities.

“The populating of the space domain and the emergence of a dynamic threat environment to our space assets demand space situational awareness capability. There is also a requirement to safeguard our assets with counter space capabilities. We must build resilience and redundancy in a space-based infrastructure,” he added.

DRDO chief, Samir V Kamat said, “We at DRDO have started increasing our focus on the very critical space domain with a focus on space-based surveillance, space situational awareness and protecting our space-based assets.” 

Kamat noted that DRDO now looking at working very closely with industry and as well as academia right from the development stage and have started DRDO industry-academia centres of excellence in about 15 institutions mostly within the country. 

DRDO also requested academia, startups, MSMEs and larger companies to work with us closely so we can help our country achieve these capabilities much faster than what we have been able to do for all other systems, he said.

Symposium was also attended by Lt Gen AK Bhatt (Retd), DG of ISpA, Air Vice Marshal DV Khot, Air Marshal BR Krishna (Retd) and others.

The event also organised a session with experts from the defence and technology sectors which analysed China's military capabilities, including its space-based assets and how they are affecting the balance of power in the region.