Antariksha Abhyas – 2024

Source: PIB

Context: India has launched its first-ever space exercise, Antariksha Abhyas – 2024, to address the growing challenges to space-based assets and ensure the integration of its space capabilities with military operations.

About Antariksha Abhyas – 2024:

• Organized by: Defence Space Agency under Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff.

• Location: New Delhi.

• Purpose: War-game threats to and from space-based assets and services. Enhance understanding of operational dependency on space assets. Identify vulnerabilities in space operations during disruptions or denials.

• War-game threats to and from space-based assets and services.

• Enhance understanding of operational dependency on space assets.

• Identify vulnerabilities in space operations during disruptions or denials.

• Participants: Defence Space Agency and allied units. Army, Navy, Air Force, Defence Cyber Agency, Defence Intelligence Agency, and Strategic Forces Command. Representatives from ISRO and DRDO.

• Defence Space Agency and allied units.

• Army, Navy, Air Force, Defence Cyber Agency, Defence Intelligence Agency, and Strategic Forces Command.

• Representatives from ISRO and DRDO.

• Significance: Establishes India’s commitment to securing national interests in space. Highlights the need for cutting-edge innovation and collaboration with ISRO, DRDO, and academia. Reinforces preparedness for the increasingly contested and competitive nature of space.

• Establishes India’s commitment to securing national interests in space.

• Highlights the need for cutting-edge innovation and collaboration with ISRO, DRDO, and academia.

• Reinforces preparedness for the increasingly contested and competitive nature of space.

About Defence Space Agency:

• Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.

• Purpose: Operates space warfare and satellite intelligence assets of the Indian Armed Forces. Draws personnel from the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

• Operates space warfare and satellite intelligence assets of the Indian Armed Forces.

• Draws personnel from the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

• Historical background: Originates from recommendations of the Naresh Chandra Task Force (2012), which suggested creating tri-service commands for cyber, aerospace, and special operations. Approved in 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Combined Commanders’ Conference.

• Originates from recommendations of the Naresh Chandra Task Force (2012), which suggested creating tri-service commands for cyber, aerospace, and special operations.

• Approved in 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Combined Commanders’ Conference.

• Integrated facilities: Subsumed the Defence Imagery Processing and Analysis Centre (Delhi) and Defence Satellite Control Centre (Bhopal).

• Subsumed the Defence Imagery Processing and Analysis Centre (Delhi) and Defence Satellite Control Centre (Bhopal).

Insta links:

• Militarisation-of-space