South Asia and Space Security

ABSTRACT Space competition and the risk of military conflict in space are emerging as key features of the twenty-first-century geopolitical environment. Although there is a natural focus on the risk of military conflict in space between the United States, China, and Russia, South Asian security will also be affected by space competition. Indian space capabilities are developing rapidly, and are emerging as one of the more advanced regional space programs; there is clear risk that Chinese and Indian space competition will increase. A key feature of twenty-first-century space security dynamics is Space 2.0, in which commercial space actors can exploit new technologies and approaches to accessing and utilizing space. For India, exploiting Space 2.0 is an important step, in particular to balance Chinese counterspace capabilities.