India says it is to build an aerospace defence command aimed at preventing possible attacks from space.
The head of India's air force outlined the plans saying it would protect both Indian territory and assets.
Air Chief Marshal Shashi Tyagi said India was an aerospace power with "trans-oceanic reach" and it was vital it should be able to exploit space.
It comes two weeks after China carried out a test in which it used a missile to destroy an old satellite in orbit.
Military command
In the wake of China's test, in which a ground-based medium-range ballistic missile was used to destroy a weather satellite, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called for a "weapons free outer space".
The demand was backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin during a recent visit to India.
"The fundamental position of the Russian Federation is that outer space should be absolutely weapons free," Mr Putin told a joint press conference with Mr Singh in Delhi.
Military analysts say the Indian project would probably replicate the North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) set up by the United States and Canada, which detects and tracks man-made objects in space.
"As the reach of our air force is expanding it has become extremely important that we exploit space and for it you need space assets," Air Chief Marshal Tyagi said.
"We are an aerospace power having trans-oceanic reach and we have started training a core group of people for the aerospace command," he added.
He said civilian expertise would be used to be build the planned aerospace command, but that it would be under military command.
Last week India said it successfully tested the technology which ensures the safe return of astronauts from space after an orbiting capsule returned to Earth.
The capsule splashed down in the Bay of Bengal off the east coast after 11 days orbiting the earth, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) said.
I dont know what exactly it is, a Submarine powered by nuclear energy, or a submarine carrying nuclear weapons, or both.
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Jan-29-2007 18:43
shaolin_Z
Hei Hu Quan
Registered: Nov 2004
Location: Austin, Texas, USA: TXTA #102
Thank you PNAC and Neocons for the new arms race.
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"The Greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge."-Stephen Hawking
"First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out— because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me— and there was no one left to speak out for me." -Martin Niemöller
Jan-29-2007 18:49
metalgearsolid
I am a sexist
Registered: Apr 2005
Location: For you neo/
I don't see how this will develop into a arms race.
Jan-29-2007 19:04
star-traveller
Kill All Humans
Registered: Nov 2005
Location: Amsterdam, NL
India is a friend of the US, that's why last one is not whining on every corner about a new arms race set up by India, that's why you don't see it.
quote:
Military analysts say the Indian project would probably replicate the North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) set up by the United States and Canada, which detects and tracks man-made objects in space.
Last edited by star-traveller on Jan-30-2007 at 09:22
Jan-29-2007 19:12
Magnetonium
Dubstep = Douchestep
Registered: Sep 2001
Location: Port Burwell, Ontario, Canada
quote:
Originally posted by metalgearsolid
I don't see how this will develop into a arms race.
When one country, USA, claims that weapons in space are OK and when it declares it has the right to strip any countries of capabilities of launching military objects in space and when it itself starts a militarization of space - dont expect everyone else to sit and nod and agree.
Russia has already issued a statement after America's declaring protection from military aggression from space its priority. Now its India's turn. Recently China successfully tested a satellite killer. Now put the pieces of the puzzle together and say "Oh my G-d! It makes sense all of a sudden!"
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