Military pushes for private participation in space, more Indian satellites. ‘Can’t rely on single entity’

CDS Anil Chauhan says future space capability will not be built by government agencies alone. ‘It will be co-developed with industry, start-ups, and technology innovators’.

CDS Anil Chauhan speaks at Indian DefSpace Symposium 2026. | X/@ThePrintIndia

New Delhi: The country’s top military leadership Thursday pushed for more Indian satellites as space emerges as not just an enabler but a domain that will decide the outcome of future battles.

They emphasised on the need for the private sector to come forward to bolster future space capability as the country cannot rely on any single agency like the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

They emphasised the increasing centrality of space in modern warfare and the need for collective strengthening of India’s defence and space ecosystems. 

“Future space capability will not be built by government agencies alone. It will be co-developed with industry, start-ups, and technology innovators. We must move from using space as a programme to treating it as a continuous operational asset,” Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Anil Chauhan said at the DefSpace Symposium 2026, organised by the Indian Space Association (ISpA).

He added, “We must pursue strategic partnerships without compromising our strategic autonomy. We must build space architecture that is resilient, artificial intelligence-enabled, quantum secure, cyber hardened, rapidly replenishable, and unquestionably sovereign to us. Anything less will leave us in a reactive mode.”

DRDO chief Dr. Samir V Kamat said space is not just an enabler, but a domain which is going to decide the outcome of future battles. He also underscored the need for collaboration for the DRDO to catch up to the challenges.

“…this can be done only if we work in a whole-of-nation approach. There are areas where technologies can be sourced externally, but there are other areas where sovereign capabilities are essential, and these are the areas where DRDO is focusing,” he said.

Lt. Gen. Zubin A Minwalla, Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations) said that the new path for India should be based on speed, agility and intelligent integration of private industry, as relying upon a ‘sole agency is suboptimal’.

(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)