Four years ago, India accomplished a significant feat with its Ballistic Missile Defence Programme by successfully conducting an Anti-Satellite (A-SAT) test. The test involved an interceptor missile launching from Abdul Kalam Island and intercepting a live Indian satellite called Microsat-R, which was orbiting 300 kilometres above the Earth’s surface. The trail of fiery orange plumes left behind by the interceptor missile was a remarkable sight.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi proudly announced the successful A-SAT test in a nationally televised address, highlighting the country’s new capability as a deterrent against potential threats to its space-based assets. The message was aimed at China, as Pakistan lacks the necessary technology to pose a threat to India’s satellites.

China had previously conducted a similar test in 2007, destroying a weather satellite at an altitude of over 850 kilometres. India’s successful A-SAT test placed it in an elite group of nations capable of defending their space-based assets and maintaining strategic superiority in this critical domain.

Position of Beijing in Reality

India’s A-SAT test, which achieved its primary goal of deterring potential threats to its space-based assets, has raised concerns about the significant amount of debris it generated. The test, carried out at an altitude similar to that used by the US and Japan for their imagery intelligence satellites, resulted in approximately 35,000 fragments larger than one centimetre being produced, with some as large as four inches.

Nevertheless, India’s successful A-SAT test has showcased its capability to safeguard its interests and assert its strategic dominance in the region, positioning it as a significant player in the global space race and marking its entry into an elite group of nations capable of defending their space-based assets. By conducting the test, India has conveyed a clear message to its adversaries, particularly the one with the ability to destroy its satellites in orbit, that it possesses the necessary capabilities to protect itself.

China has been advancing its non-kinetic counter-space weaponry, capable of incapacitating or rendering enemy space-based assets useless without generating debris. Directed energy weapons (DEWs) are a key component of these weapons, utilizing a concentrated energy beam to disrupt, weaken, or destroy targets. DEWs come in the form of low and high-energy lasers, as well as high-powered microwave (HPM) systems, and have the potential to cause temporary or permanent damage.

The US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) states that China has made significant progress in deploying DEWs, which can temporarily blind or permanently disable crucial electro-optical or infrared sensors on satellites. Furthermore, high-powered lasers can also inflict damage on other satellite components, such as solar arrays.

In addition to DEWs, China’s non-kinetic counter-space abilities also involve radio frequency jammers that operate in space, air, and ground-based locations, co-orbital anti-satellite devices, and offensive cyberspace capabilities. These advanced technologies present a significant danger to the security and stability of space-based assets, highlighting the need to safeguard them from potential threats.

China’s development of High-power microwave (HPM) weapons has been making significant progress, allowing it to cause damage to satellites in air or space by corrupting their stored data and inflicting permanent damage to their electrical circuits and processors. In addition to this, China’s non-kinetic counter-space capabilities, including sophisticated Directed Energy Weapons (DEWs), pose a significant threat to the security and stability of space-based assets without generating debris.

The expected deployment of a ground-based laser weapon was to come up by 2020 that could target low-orbit space-based sensors and projected deployment of “higher-power systems” capable of targeting non-optical satellites while by the late 2020s, China’s space capabilities continue to grow rapidly. The country has also been acquiring and deploying satellite jamming systems, with the PLA employing jamming and anti-jamming capabilities targeting communication, radar systems, and Global Positioning System satellites.

The US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) reports that China is also developing jammers to disrupt synthetic-aperture radar on military reconnaissance platforms, highlighting the need for protecting space-based assets from potential adversaries. Ensuring the safety and security of these critical assets has become a top priority for countries worldwide as China continues to advance its non-kinetic counter-space capabilities.

Way Forward For India

To counter the long-term defence challenges posed by China, India must invest in a comprehensive set of kinetic energy weapons (KEWs), directed energy weapons (DEWs), cyber and electronic weapons, and co-orbital KEWs.

While India has primarily focused on using space assets for reconnaissance, navigation, and communication, the need for India to develop counter-space capabilities has been underscored by China’s ASAT test.

However, pursuing arms control and disarmament measures in response to China’s extensive development of space and counter-space capabilities would be premature. China’s current and evolving space weapons program demands a sustained response from India. Disarmament would be an unwarranted surrender, particularly in light of Beijing’s recent and ongoing aggression towards India.

Therefore, India must continue to invest in reinforcing its space and counter-space capabilities to safeguard its national security interests. At the same time, India should also consider pursuing disarmament and arms control measures alongside its space weapons program to address regional and global concerns. By doing so, India can effectively deter China’s aggression and maintain a peaceful and stable space environment.

-The writer is a Defence and Aerospace Analyst. The views expressed are personal and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda