Indian Army seeks establishment of tri-services aerospace command
17 Jun 2008
New Delhi: Hot on the heels of an announcement, made ten days back, by India's defence minister, AK Antony, about the creation of an ''integrated space cell'' at the Integrated Defence Staff headquarters, which would act as a single desk for military use and security of space resources, apart from interfacing between the army, navy and air force along with the Department of Space and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), comes an appeal by the chief of the Indian Army staff, General Deepak Kapoor, to establish the much-delayed tri-services space command.
The warning by Gen Kapoor has been issued keeping in mind the huge advances made by China in developing anti-satellite (ASAT) missiles, lasers and other offensive space capabilities. "China's space programme is expanding at an exponentially rapid pace in both offensive and defensive content," said Gen Kapoor.
The General was speaking at a seminar on "Indian military and space."
He mentioned that space was increasingly becoming the "ultimate military high ground" to dominate in the wars of the future. In this regard he said that it should be India's endeavour to "optimize space applications for military purposes."
Bringing up a demand that has been languishing for some time, Gen Kapoor said the establishment of a tri-service space command "is required in the future".
According to Integrated Defence Staff chief, Lt General HS Lidder, "With time, we will get sucked into the military race to protect space assets and inevitably there will be a military contest in space. In a life-and-death scenario, space will provide the advantage."
In January 2007, China created ripples around the world when it tested an ASAT weapon by targeting an old weather satellite in deep space. India had then joined the chorus around the world condemning the test for ''militarising space.''
The fact of the matter is that with even ground-based operations, let alone airborne or space-based ones, deeply tied up to satellites for communication and surveillance, it is mandatory on nations with advanced military systems to have an active Space-based programme.
In this regard it may be mentioned that India does not even have dedicated military satellites, and instead relies on "dual use" Cartosat-I, Cartosat-II and the recently-launched Cartosat-IIA for its surveillance and reconnaissance programme.
