Antariksha Abhyas – 2024: India’s First Military Space Warfare Exercise

Context: India’s Defence Space Agency (DSA) has launched “Antariksha Abhyas – 2024,” the first dedicated military exercise aimed at preparing India for space-based warfare and defense. This initiative marks a significant step towards integrating space capabilities within India’s military operations, underlining space as a crucial area in defense strategy.

Key Objectives of Antariksha Abhyas – 2024

• Addressing Space-Based Threats: The exercise focuses on assessing and mitigating threats to India’s space assets, responding to potential adversarial actions in space.
• Operational Dependency Insight: It aims to enhance understanding of how military operations rely on space capabilities, preparing defense forces for scenarios where these dependencies are challenged.
• Identifying Vulnerabilities: By simulating situations where space-based services are denied or disrupted, the exercise seeks to reveal vulnerabilities that could impact military operations.

Defence Space Agency (DSA)

• Overview: Headquartered in Bengaluru, the DSA is an integrated agency encompassing all three branches of India’s armed forces. It focuses on managing India’s space-warfare capabilities and satellite intelligence assets.
• Leadership and Role: Led by an Air Vice Marshal-rank officer, the DSA will gradually incorporate space-related capabilities from each of the armed services, strengthening India’s defense in space.

Integrated Defence Staff (IDS)

• Established: The IDS was formed in October 2001 after the Kargil War (Operation Vijay) to foster coordination among the Army, Navy, and Air Force and align them with the Ministry of Defence.
• Representation: It includes members from all armed services, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), emphasizing joint operational synergy and strategic alignment in defense planning.