The future of warfare is shifting rapidly, with space emerging as a decisive domain, according to Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The agency has underlined the need for India to accelerate its military space capabilities to stay competitive globally.
Speaking at the Indian DefSpace Symposium held at the Manekshaw Centre, DRDO chief Samir V Kamat highlighted that bridging the gap with global rivals will be a “Herculean challenge” without a unified national effort. He called for a “whole-of-nation” approach to strengthen India’s position in the evolving space domain.
While the Indian Space Research Organisation continues to lead civilian space efforts, DRDO has been tasked with advancing military space capabilities following the establishment of the Defence Space Agency. Kamat noted that although space is still a smaller part of DRDO’s mandate, its strategic importance is increasing rapidly. “It needs to grow much more if we have to keep pace with our rivals,” he said.
To accelerate progress, DRDO is expanding collaboration with startups, MSMEs, and academic institutions. Industry Academia Centres of Excellence have already been set up, with space identified as a key focus area. Kamat pointed to strong interest from academia and startups in contributing to defence space initiatives, expressing confidence in India’s ability to build sovereign capabilities.
The organisation is prioritising critical areas such as space situational awareness to protect orbital assets, strengthening the military applications of NavIC, and advancing space-based surveillance and imaging radar systems. It is also working on early missile launch detection capabilities, seen as essential by military leadership. He stressed the importance of civil-military integration, especially in dual-use technologies like imaging radar.
Kamat also flagged the need for higher investment in research and development. India currently spends 0.65% of its GDP on R&D, with only 5% of the defence budget allocated to it. “We definitely need to scale this up if we have to catch up with our rivals,” he said. He added that the defence minister has committed to increasing defence R&D spending to 10% of the defence budget over the next 5 years, opening more opportunities for private players.
He emphasised that India’s long-term goal is to develop sovereign capabilities in critical space technologies that cannot be imported and to ensure the resilience of its space assets in contested environments. “It needs to grow much more if we have to keep pace with our rivals,” he reiterated, stressing the need for coordinated action across government, industry, and academia.
Also read: Viksit Workforce for a Viksit Bharat
Do Follow: The Mainstream LinkedIn | The Mainstream Facebook | The Mainstream Youtube | The Mainstream Twitter
About us:
The Mainstream is a premier platform delivering the latest updates and informed perspectives across the technology business and cyber landscape. Built on research-driven, thought leadership and original intellectual property, The Mainstream also curates summits & conferences that convene decision makers to explore how technology reshapes industries and leadership. With a growing presence in India and globally across the Middle East, Africa, ASEAN, the USA, the UK and Australia, The Mainstream carries a vision to bring the latest happenings and insights to 8.2 billion people and to place technology at the centre of conversation for leaders navigating the future.
