India’s space policy ‘must emphasize space domain awareness as the first step in defence’. It must account for an expanded battlespace that includes space, cyber and the electromagnetic domains.
“Taramandal Sangram” by Lieutenant General P.J.S. Pannu brings to the fore a domain which though an indispensable pillar of national security, economic prosperity, societal development and strategic influence has primarily been confined to the scientific community and selected policy makers. His message is clear, India must not only have satellites in orbit, but also the capability to see, understand and secure the environment around them. An important part of national security is its orbital aspects. Satellites give you a canvas that reveals the operational picture and space technology gives confidence in decision making by creating a fused picture reducing the fog of and leading to decision superiority.
The nature of warfare review has undergone a profound transformation and militaries today operate in a highly networked environment where information is as critical as firepower. Hence the ability to utilize space which remains contested is a major factor in determining operational effectiveness. This is also where geopolitical competition, technological innovation, economic interests and national security considerations intersect. The book informs with authority, educates with clarity and explains with vision these interconnected aspects of national power.
SPACE THE FINAL FRONTIER
Space has an enormous impact on the ground and is therefore referred to as “the ultimate high ground or the final frontier” seen as an essential and most significant domain. Military space is the backbone of modern warfare. It enhances strategic depth, multiplies force effectiveness and offers a decisive edge in both unconventional and conventional conflicts. As the author points out “nations that fail to integrate space into their military strategy risk strategic obsolescence”. He also states that the battles of future would be autonomous, fought on digital boards, gradually leading to mosaic wars. To enable such wars, it is imperative for nations to have persistent ISR capabilities. While mentioning China he states that it continues to invest more in space programmes and how the BeiDou satellite system has given it independence from US’s GPS constellations for military and commercial activities.
The space triad comprising positioning, navigation and timing (PNT), satellite communication (SATCOM) and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) forms the backbone of modern deep and precision warfare. “In an era where milliseconds matter and accuracy define victory the integration of these three pillars allow armed forces to sense, communicate and strike with unprecedented speed and accuracy.” In the modern era, “precision and depth have emerged as the decisive factors in achieving operational superiority” and “strategic technologies have had a revolutionary impact on the modern battlefield”.
Today when technology drives both “threat and response”, the capability to operate and defend from space becomes “not just a force multiplier but a necessity to prevent conflict and assure dominance”. India’s space policy “must emphasize space domain awareness as the first step in defence”. It must account for an expanded battlespace that includes space, cyber and the electromagnetic domains.
China’s commercial space exports to Pakistan masquerading as civilian also serve their military functions. The Sino-Pak space collaboration marks the convergence of asymmetric warfare strategies and technological enablers that seek “to offset India’s conventional superiority”. For India the integration of space assets of PNT, ISR and communication into one military space domain is no longer optional, it is essential. This must be backed by strong command and control architecture- military grade, cyber resilient and fully indigenized. A space force is not merely a symbol of modernity but a strategic necessity.
Space is no longer a benign domain but a contested, congested and competitive war fighting environment. Ultimately the contest for space superiority and command will depend equally on the ability to maintain access to the celestial lines of communication, preserve critical space infrastructure and ensure the uninterrupted flow of information. India’s approach must integrate these elements to ensure space dominance in future multi domain conflicts. Space will act as the glue enabling persistent surveillance, rapid data sharing and precise engagement. Importantly, General Pannu writes that space warfare is not a contest of satellites alone. It is a ‘contest of decision cycles, resilience, information superiority and network effectiveness.’ The history of warfare has often been shaped by those who recognize emerging domains before they become battlefields. Lt Gen Pannu understood the importance of the space domain early in service following his experiences while leading his Company in the deserts and on a patrol in the high Himalayas. Many years later backed by his operational experiences he was instrumental in setting up the Defence Space Agency and Defence Cyber Agency as well as organizing wargames on space. Historically, space was used for force enhancement; satellites provided communication, reconnaissance, navigation and early warning. Today the shift is towards force application. Space assets are no longer just the “eye in the sky”, but instruments shaping and driving warfare in their own right. The book examines various nuances of space as a strategic domain that influences national development and needs to be read by all those who are connected with and are interested in India’s national security to include policymakers, practitioners, scientists, industry leaders, scholars and students.
For India space is no longer an optional domain but a vital strategic frontier. As Bihar Governor, Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain stated at the book launch, “it is more than a book on space” but a book on the “changing nature of national power”.
* Maj Gen Jagatbir Singh, VSM retired from the Indian Army.
