Space has moved far beyond scientific exploration. Today, satellites power critical services on Earth, support defence operations and shape geopolitical influence, placing space infrastructure at the centre of national security and economic competitiveness.
India’s rise in space has been one of the country’s biggest technological success stories, from launching satellites on modest budgets to executing landmark missions such as Chandrayaan, Mangalyaan and Aditya-L1. As countries race to strengthen their presence in space, the focus is shifting from demonstrating technological capability to building the scale required to compete globally.
“India has the capability. The challenge now is capacity. We need not just satellites but constellations; not just launches but a launch pipeline,” said former ISRO Chairman Dr A.S. Kiran Kumar. He noted that the next phase of growth would require larger satellite constellations, stronger launch capabilities and greater participation from private industry.
This was discussed at the third edition of the Symposium titled “The Day the Sky Goes Dark: Warfare in the Age of Satellite Dependence”, held at T-Hub, Hyderabad.
Opening the discussion, Symposium Founder Girish Mallpani posed a question that remained at the centre of the deliberations: “Why can’t India build its own Starlink?” The question sparked a broader conversation on India’s satellite infrastructure, launch capabilities, strategic autonomy and long-term space ambitions.
Former DRDO Chairman, Dr G. Satheesh Reddy said India’s defence technology ecosystem is far stronger than often perceived and stressed the need for deeper collaboration between government institutions and industry. He observed that space warfare has emerged as the fourth dimension of warfare, making preparedness in the domain critical for national security.
Stressing the need to expand India’s space capabilities, Dr Subba Rao Pavuluri, Chairman and Managing Director of Ananth Technologies, said satellites should no longer be seen as just space assets but as an essential part of modern defence systems. He said Indian industry has the expertise and manufacturing capability to build more indigenous satellites and strengthen the country’s defence preparedness and strategic independence.
“We need more rockets,” remarked Ronak Kumar Samantray, Founder and CEO of TakeMe2Space, while highlighting launch capability as a critical area for India’s space ambitions. He said future leadership in space would belong to countries that can launch satellites rapidly, repeatedly and at scale, making a strong and consistent launch capability a key strategic advantage.
Meanwhile, former Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari said information dominance is now as important as conventional military strength, adding that the ability to quickly restore disrupted satellite capabilities could be critical during future conflicts.
Participants also noted that nearly 90 per cent of defence procurement and space procurement in the United States and Europe is routed through private industry, and called for procurement reforms, larger order flows and better access to capital for Indian space and defence companies.
A 13-year-old participant, Iniya Pragati Martian, a commercial astronaut candidate and India’s youngest analog astronaut, also took part in the event. Her interaction with the panel reflected growing interest among young Indians in space science and space exploration.
The symposium also highlighted the growing role of space-based systems in future warfare, with speakers stressing the need for investments in smart satellites, secure communications, cyber capabilities and resilient infrastructure.
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