Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan on Monday underscored the growing importance of space as a critical military domain, calling for the cultivation of a strong and future-oriented ‘Space Culture’. Speaking at the 3rd Annual DefSpace Symposium of the Indian Space Association (ISpA) in New Delhi, General Chauhan urged all stakeholders to capitalize on recent government initiatives to build robust space-based capabilities for national security. He emphasized the need for a resilient and future-ready space defence infrastructure to ensure the sustained and unhindered use of space in the face of emerging challenges.
“Today, we are at a juncture where space is emerging as the next frontier. In the future, warfare will increasingly depend on space-based capabilities — across land, sea, and air,” he added.
He explained that just as maritime and aerial domains extended the battlespace and often influenced outcomes on land, space is poised to play a similarly transformative role. “Whether battles are decided in space or heavily influenced by it, understanding space will be key to future conflicts,” he said.
Underscoring the need for a cultural shift within the military and strategic community, General Chauhan emphasized, “Before we build capabilities, we must develop the mindset — a space culture — to support and sustain them.”
#CDS gives a forward-looking vision to secure India’s strategic interests in Space!
In his address at the 3rd Annual Symposium of the Indian Space Association #ISpA, General Anil Chauhan, #CDS underscored the growing significance of Space as a key military domain, highlighting… pic.twitter.com/mqJlsCOee6
— HQ IDS (@HQ_IDS_India) April 7, 2025
The CDS also highlighted the significance of joint exercises like Antriksha Abhyas in enhancing jointness and preparedness among the armed forces. He further stressed the urgent need to formulate a comprehensive ‘Space Doctrine’ and the evolution of a National Military Space Policy to guide India’s strategic posture in this emerging domain.
Team BharatShakti
