India’s Space Weapons: Are We Ready for War in Orbit?

Manoj Ambat
Aug 7
2 min read

Updated: Aug 23

The Final Frontier Is Now a Battlefield

For decades, space was seen as the realm of science, exploration, and satellites. But today, space has become the new domain of warfare, and India is beginning to stake its claim.

In this article, based on our latest Strategic Vanguard Podcast, we take a deep dive into India’s space weaponization, analyze the rising threats from China, and explore what must be done to secure India’s interests beyond the atmosphere.

🔥 From Mission Shakti to Strategic Space Defense

India made global headlines in March 2019 with Mission Shakti—a successful anti-satellite (ASAT) missile test by DRDO that destroyed a live satellite in Low Earth Orbit. This achievement placed India among the elite few nations—alongside the US, Russia, and China—with proven space strike capabilities.

But in the six years since, progress has been mostly behind closed doors. While the test demonstrated technical prowess, it also sparked global debate around the militarization of space and orbital debris.

🇨🇳 China’s Aggressive Space Strategy

India’s greatest space security challenge comes from China. The People’s Liberation Army Strategic Support Force is actively building:

Co-orbital kill vehicles
Satellite jammers
Directed energy weapons
Cyber and electronic warfare tools for space assets

China sees space as an extension of the battlefield—and India must rapidly adapt to avoid strategic vulnerability.

🇮🇳 India’s Current Capabilities (and Gaps)

India’s space defense is still largely dual-use, with civilian agencies like ISRO supporting military objectives. While DRDO has developed certain technologies, India lacks a dedicated military space command—a crucial institutional gap.

Some key capabilities we need to accelerate:

Space Situational Awareness (SSA) systems
Cyber defense for satellites
Soft-kill ASAT tools (non-destructive options like jammers)
Formal integration between ISRO, DRDO, and armed forces

⚖️ The Legal Grey Zone

The Outer Space Treaty of 1967 prohibits weapons of mass destruction in orbit, but it doesn’t restrict conventional weapons like kinetic missiles or jammers. This loophole has led to a silent arms race in space, where no one wants to be the first to strike—but no one wants to be defenseless either.

India must maintain its peaceful posture, but not at the cost of vulnerability.

🧭 What India Must Do Next

To ensure national security in the final frontier, India should consider:

Establishing a dedicated space command under the Ministry of Defence
Boosting R&D in counter-space technologies
Collaborating with QUAD nations on space situational awareness
Launching indigenous military-grade satellites for ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance)

📌 Final Thoughts

As global superpowers prepare for war in orbit, India must act strategically, decisively, and transparently to protect its national interests in space.

Let’s not wait until it’s too late.