June 17 News Items

India Space Command Needed to Check China (Source: Times of India)
With China developing anti-satellite (ASAT) missiles, lasers and other offensive space capabilities, India has no option but to be fully prepared for "star wars" in the future. The creation of just "an integrated space cell", announced by defence minister A K Antony last week, will just not do towards achieving this objective. What is needed is a full-fledged tri-service space command for effective tactical, operational and strategic exploitation of the "final frontier".

The disquiet among the Indian military brass over China's deadly counter-space military program, with "direct-ascent" ASAT missiles, hit-to-kill "kinetic" and directed-energy laser weapons, came clearly through on Monday. "China's space programme is expanding at an exponentially rapid pace in both offensive and defensive content," said army chief general Deepak Kapoor, adding that space was increasingly becoming the "ultimate military high ground" to dominate in the wars of the future. (6/17)