What must change—urgently
Short-term fixes—leasing imagery, foreign launches, or commercial purchases—cannot substitute for data sovereignty. Space atmanirbharta is a strategic necessity. India needs empowered institutions, time-bound accountability, accelerated launch capacity, faster satellite manufacturing, and an integrated military–commercial roadmap that treats space as a warfighting and economic domain, not a prestige showcase.
Conclusion
PSLV-C62 should trigger hard decisions. The lesson is not about tolerance for failure, but urgency. In modern conflict, the side that controls data controls outcomes. Without rapid course correction, India risks ceding the space domain—and with it, decisive advantages in future crises.
Month: Current Affairs - January 18, 2026
Category: