Space Security : Need for Global Convergence

Contents: Foreword. Introduction. I. International space security environment: 1. Space security environment: technology impact and international concerns/Amitav Mallik. 2. An overview of Chinese space policies and programmes/Arun Sahgal. 3. The space policy of the United States/C.V. Sastry. II. Legal environment and disarmament issues: 4. International space law: future outlook/Ranjana Kaul. 5. India CD and space security/Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan. 6. The prospect of weaponisation of outer space/Arjun Subramaniam. III. Technological environment: 7. Emerging space technologies their impact on National Security/Rajaram Nagappa. 8. ASAT and missile Defence: the technological overlap and its strategic dimensions/A. Vinod Kumar. IV. Space policy: 9. Threat to Indian space assets/Deepak Sharma. 10. India and ASAT capability/Arvind Kumar. 11. Need for a space security policy for India/Arvind Gupta. V. Summing Up: 12. Space security: challenges and assessment.13. Organisational architecture: India. 14. Conclusion. Index. Employment of space technologies for advancing the nation's social, scientific and economic interests is gaining increasing importance in the 21st century. At the same time space security, which includes the security of space assets and the ability to use space for civilian and security purposes is also attracting increasing attention. During the last few decades the number of states investing in satellite technologies has grown. Today satellite technology is providing a wide array of services from mobile telephony to global navigation to disaster management. The Armed Forces in various parts of the world have also begun to rely increasingly on space technologies. Particularly the 1991 Gulf War and subsequent military campaigns in various parts of the world have demonstrated the significance of space technologies for militaries. With the growing reliance of Armed Forces on space technology the concern about security of space assets is increasing. These concerns have been further fuelled by the anti satellite ASAT test undertaken by Chine in 2007. As a space faring nation it is important for India to constantly monitor the rapidly changing global space order. This books is an attempt to analyse the ongoing trends in the space domain and emphasis the need for India to establish a comprehensive space strategy. (jacket).…