At DefExpo 2022, PM announces launch of Defence Space Mission
Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi is all set to launch India's Defence Space Mission with seventy five challenges as India is celebrating Azadi ka Amrit Mohatsav on its 75th year of independence from British rule. Challenges have been curated to improve India's challenges given space defence preparedness. PM Modi made the announcement while inaugurating five-day-long DefExpo 2022 at Gandhinagar in Gujarat on Tuesday.
Why does this story matter?
To meet the upcoming challenges, Government of India is set to launch India's Defence Space Mission. As warfare is moving beyond land, air, and sea, Defence Space Mission is going to timely improve the country's space security system. PM Modi announced launch of Defence Space Mission at DefExpo 2022 being conducted at Gujarat's Gandhinagar.
75 challenges within purview of Outer Space Treaty
Seventy five challenges have been classified into five buckets by the government within the purview of Outer Space Treaty 1967 by United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs. The treaty regulates the use of outer space by countries across the world. As of February 2022, 112 countries are party to the treaty, another 23 countries have signed the treaty without ratification.
Challenges classified into five technology buckets
To meet the emerging defence space challenges smoothly, government has classified the challenges into five technology buckets given their nature. The five buckets are software systems, communication and payload system, ground system, launch system, satellite system. End users of this five bucket classified technology include Army, Air force, as well as the Navy.
Defence Space Mission to boost India's budding space industry
As warfare is moving beyond land air and sea, India Space Mission is going to timely improve the country's space strength as India has the world's second largest military. In tech world, the country's prosperity in space is highly dependent on organizations like Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), popularly known as NavIC, remote sensing, space internet and others.
'Challenges open to start ups'
The government has categorized these 75 challenges into various initiatives of Department of Defence Production. Government has identified nearly 50 start ups to take up 35 among the 75 proposed challenges. Defence Research and Development Organisation, Government of India undertaking, has agreed to give technical support and access to the start ups taking the initiatives. Similarly Indian Space Research Organisation will also handhold industries.
'Order quantity and development budget ascertained'
Government informed that estimated technology development budget has been learnt from end users like Indian Army, Navy, and Air force. For success of the mission, meetings by top officials of Department of Defence Production have been conducted with all stakeholders.
DefExpo: Showcasing India's defence security systems
DefExpo is being conducted by India's Defence Exhibition Organisation, established in 1981. The theme of the this year DefExpo is "Path to pride." It is conducted to showcase India's defence power. All the three legs of India's defence forces - Army, Navy and Air force - will participate in showcasing security systems.
