Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan on Monday warned that humanity is on the threshold of a new era where space is emerging as the next frontier of warfare. Speaking at the third edition of the Indian DefSpace Symposium in Delhi, Gen.
New Delhi:Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan on Monday warned that humanity is on the threshold of a new era where space is emerging as the next frontier of warfare. Speaking at the third edition of the Indian DefSpace Symposium in Delhi, Gen. Chauhan said India is likely to unveil a military space doctrine within the next two to three months and is also in the process of formulating a national military space policy.
“We are on the cusp of an era where space is emerging as a new domain of warfare. In the future, all three primary elements of warfare — land, sea, and air — will increasingly depend on space,” Gen. Chauhan said.
The CDS emphasised the urgent need to develop a robust “space culture” within India’s military establishment, which he said would involve the creation of space doctrines, specialised research, and dedicated warfare schools. “Just as maritime and aerospace cultures shaped military power over the centuries, a space culture must now evolve to shape the future of warfare,” he added.
Referring to historical examples, Gen. Chauhan noted that maritime dominance once empowered colonial powers like the Portuguese and the British, while aerospace superiority later helped the United States and European nations dominate modern warfare. “Military power has always stemmed from cultural shifts and the development of capabilities in key domains. Now, it’s space,” he said.
He called for the establishment of space warfare institutes and the promotion of research and dialogue through journals and academic platforms. “Developing space culture is not just about fostering start-ups. It’s about generating ideas, conducting seminal research, writing doctrines, and even shaping frameworks for space laws and diplomacy,” he said.
The CDS noted that while there is immense potential to shape India’s approach to space as a theatre of conflict, the current literature and institutional structures remain limited. “We must reposition ourselves — as a knowledge-based society that respects and understands space — to lead in this domain,” he urged.
The symposium, hosted by the Indian Space Association (ISpA) at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, focused on India’s evolving role in the space defence sector.
Gen. Chauhan also spoke about how popular culture — through movies like Interstellar and Star Trek — has shaped public imagination about space. “While some of that is fantasy, another part is now becoming reality. Space is fascinating and thought-provoking, and it opens up new horizons for imagination and strategy,” he said.
