In a landmark stride towards strengthening national security and asserting technological prowess, India is all set to unveil its first-ever military space doctrine within the next two to three months. This significant announcement was made by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan during the prestigious Indian DefSpace Symposium 2025 held in New Delhi.
Gen Chauhan proudly shared that the Defence Space Agency (DSA) is in the final stages of formulating this historic doctrine, which will serve as the cornerstone for India’s strategic operations in the space domain. “We are also working on a national military space policy,” he said, signalling a comprehensive approach to space defence.
This visionary move comes at a time when global powers, including China, are rapidly expanding their space-based military capabilities. In this high-stakes environment, India’s proactive and self-reliant approach stands out as a testament to its growing strategic autonomy and technological sophistication.
A major step towards this achievement was taken in November 2024, when the DSA conducted ‘Antriksh Abhyas’, India’s first-ever space military exercise. This pioneering initiative brought together key national players—the armed forces, HQ IDS, ISRO, and DRDO—to simulate real-world space threats, evaluate vulnerabilities, and develop resilient space-warfighting capabilities.
Gen Chauhan also highlighted the need to nurture a robust “space culture” in India—one that goes beyond technical know-how and embraces original research, strategic doctrine-building, and thought leadership. “Space culture is about doing seminal, original research… doctrines and strategies about space,” he said, encouraging Indian minds to explore space diplomacy, space law, and beyond.
He further defined military space as the Earth’s orbital zones—low Earth orbit, medium Earth orbit, and geostationary orbit—and emphasized the urgency to develop doctrines tailored to these critical areas, much like how maritime boundaries guide naval operations.
Organised by the Indian Space Association, the symposium served as a confluence of military leaders, scientists, start-ups, and policymakers, all aligned with India’s ambitious vision of becoming a space defence leader.
In a stirring closing remark, Gen Chauhan invoked legendary strategists Alfred Thayer Mahan and Giulio Douhet, urging India to produce its own intellectual pioneers in the realm of space warfare. “We are yet to see a Mahan or a Douhet about space. I hope that this particular Mahan or Douhet is from India,” he said, igniting aspirations for India to not just participate but lead the global discourse in space defence.
Comments