THE HINDU | Space Security + India-China + Technology
🛰️ Orbital Rivalry — The Challenge of China's Space Power
Author: Harinder Singh (Former Corps Commander) | Context: China's rapidly expanding counter-space capabilities and what India must do to safeguard its vital interests.
📋 Syllabus:GS-3: Science & Technology — Space; Defence; Indigenisation of technologyGS-2: India's neighbourhood — bilateral, regional and global groupings; Effect of policies of developed and developing countries on India's interests
🎯 Why in News? China's expanding counter-space capabilities — anti-satellite missiles, co-orbital systems, laser-based weapons, and jammers — pose a direct and growing threat to India's satellite infrastructure. As the 16th Finance Commission — wait, as the orbital competition intensifies, India must rethink its space security doctrine, expand redundancy, and forge deeper data-sharing partnerships.
⚡ Core Argument
China is preparing for orbital war — not merely space exploration. While its programme is cloaked in peaceful language, Beijing's tested anti-satellite missiles, co-orbital interference systems, lasers, and jammers signal a clear military intent. India, with only ~60 operational satellites vs. China's 400+, faces severe redundancy deficits. Mission Shakti strengthened deterrence posture but remains insufficient. India must expand satellite production, disaggregate large platforms, protect ground assets, and build data-sharing partnerships — or risk being blinded in the first 24–48 hours of any conflict.
🚀 China's Space Ambitions — The Military Dimension
📅 Timeline of China's Counter-Space Actions
January 2007: China targeted its own satellite from earth — direct ascent ASAT test.
October 2015: Tested an exo-atmospheric vehicle designed to strike a hostile satellite.
2022: Used a robotic spacecraft to push a defunct satellite into the graveyard orbit.
2024: Demonstrated an orbital dog-fight capability — clear preparation for combat in space.
🎯 China's Two-Level Space Ambition
Level 1 — Competitiveness: China has ~1,900 satellites in orbit vs. 8,000+ American (including SpaceX). Plans to deploy 36,000+ LEO satellites by 2030 to rival Starlink.
Level 2 — Weaponisation: Recognises that disrupting communications, power grids, navigation, financial markets, and C2/ISR networks via a single strike could cripple adversaries. LandSpace, iSpace, OneSpace challenge SpaceX and Blue Origin.
Aims: Moon by 2036, nuclear-powered shuttle by 2040, solar power system by 2050.
⚔️ China's Three Evolving Counter-Space Capabilities
1. Kinetic Attack Systems: DN-3 and SC-19 missiles — can physically destroy satellites in orbit. Creates dangerous Kessler Syndrome debris fields.
2. Laser-Based & Electronic Systems: Can dazzle or blind satellites, disrupting navigation and communications — without creating debris, making attribution difficult.
3. Co-Orbital Satellites (SJ & TJS series): Designed to interfere with, dislodge, or disable other satellites from orbit. Can cripple India's ISR, GPS, and communication networks in the critical first 24–48 hours of a conflict.
🇮🇳 Implications for India — The Vulnerability
⚠️ India's Satellite Deficit
India has only ~60 operational satellites vs. China's 400+ military satellites alone.
Losing just 5 to 6 satellites will hurt India more disproportionately — far lesser redundancy.
China could strike CARTOSAT/RISAT series — leading to loss of tactical-level imagery for hours, if not days.
China could lase satellites as they pass over the Line of Actual Control (LAC) — causing temporary blind spots at critical moments.
China could deploy jammers to disable India's NavIC system — disrupting navigation infrastructure.
🏛️ Taiwan Scenario — India's Reference Point
If a Taiwan contingency arises, PLA would first blind ISR and communication networks before resorting to hard-kill attacks.
This gives Beijing time to shape the narrative — a hard kill triggers immediate escalation.
The U.S. would retain an advantage due to greater redundancy and resilience — India, with fewer satellites, cannot absorb similar losses.
This Taiwan scenario applies to India on a lesser scale — making redundancy the most critical strategic priority.
🔑 Mission Shakti — India's ASAT Test (2019)
Strengths & Limitations of Mission Shakti
Achievement: India became the 4th country to demonstrate ASAT capability after the US, Russia, and China. Strengthened India's deterrence posture.
Limitation 1: A single successful test does NOT guarantee operational reliability.
Limitation 2: India still lacks co-orbital capabilities to counter satellites like China's SJ and TJS series.
Strategic Takeaway: While China can conduct peacetime harassment using lasers and jammers, or temporarily blind a few satellites during a border crisis, it cannot inflict crippling damage without destroying a large number of Indian satellites — risking severe Kessler Syndrome consequences for itself.
🛡️ Safeguarding India's Interests — 4 Measures
1. Expand Space Industry: India must expand beyond ISRO to increase satellite production and launch capacity. Greater capacity = greater redundancy.
2. Disaggregate Large Platforms: Break up large satellite programmes (e.g., GSAT) into smaller constellations — more resilient and survivable against kinetic and directed-energy attacks.
3. Protect Ground Assets: Strengthen protection of ground space assets to mitigate the impact of hard-kill attacks on physical infrastructure.
4. Data-Sharing Partnerships: Enhance arrangements with strategic partners so that in the event of satellite losses, critical services can be restored through commercial or partner networks within hours.
5. Define Red Lines: Clearly define red lines and the scope of a proportionate response so China fully understands the escalation ladder.
🇮🇳 India's Strategic Context
India's space security challenge is unique — it faces a China that is simultaneously a neighbor, a rival, and a space power growing exponentially faster. Unlike the U.S. with 8,000+ satellites providing enormous redundancy, India's thin satellite constellation means even a limited Chinese counter-space strike could have outsized strategic consequences. The race to expand India's commercial space sector under the new space policy — allowing private players — is not just economic; it is a national security imperative.
"China's development of counter-space capabilities poses a direct threat to India's strategic assets in orbit." Analyze the nature of this threat and suggest measures India must take to safeguard its space-based infrastructure. (GS-3, 250 words)
Discuss the significance of Mission Shakti for India's space security doctrine. What are its limitations and what further steps are needed? (GS-3, 150 words)
"Outer space is becoming the next domain of military conflict." Critically examine this statement with reference to China's space militarisation and its implications for India. (GS-2/GS-3, 250 words)
🎯 Practice MCQs
Prelims Q1
With reference to India's space security, consider the following statements:
1. Mission Shakti (2019) made India the third country in the world to demonstrate anti-satellite (ASAT) missile capability.
2. The Kessler Syndrome refers to a scenario where the density of objects in low earth orbit is high enough that collisions could cause a cascade effect, making space activities difficult for generations.
3. India's NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) system is exclusively designed for military navigation and is not available for civilian use.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
📖 View Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect ✗ — Mission Shakti made India the 4th country to demonstrate ASAT capability, after the United States, Russia, and China (which tested ASAT in 2007).
Statement 2 is correct ✓ — The Kessler Syndrome (proposed by NASA scientist Donald Kessler in 1978) describes a cascade of collisions in LEO where debris from each collision creates more debris, potentially making certain orbital ranges unusable for centuries. It is a key reason why ASAT tests are internationally controversial.
Statement 3 is incorrect ✗ — NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) has both civilian (Standard Positioning Service) and military (Restricted Service) components. The civilian signal is available to all users; the encrypted military signal is for authorized users.
Answer: (b) — 2 only
THE HINDU | Public Health + Social Issues + Demography
🏥 Joy and Pain — Health Gains from NFHS-6 & Unaddressed Burdens
Context: The recently released National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) data for 2023–24 revealing significant gains in child health alongside alarming unaddressed challenges of obesity, NCDs, and declining breastfeeding.
📋 Syllabus:GS-2: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector — Health, Education, Human ResourcesGS-1: Population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issuesGS-3: Issues relating to growth, development and employment
🎯 Why in News? The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) data for 2023–24 has been released — providing a comprehensive cross-sectional picture of India's health landscape. The data reveals remarkable gains in child health (stunting, wasting, immunisation, institutional deliveries) alongside deeply worrying trends in obesity, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and declining breastfeeding — a classic dual public health burden.
⚡ Core Argument
NFHS-6 data presents India with a triumph-and-disaster moment. The gains — falling stunting, wasting, rising immunisation and institutional deliveries — are real and hard-won. But the unaddressed burdens of obesity (now a dual burden alongside malnutrition), lifestyle diseases, and declining breastfeeding risk undoing these gains as India transitions to a greyer, more urbanised nation. The window for comprehensive NCD prevention — screening, behaviour change, taxation on unhealthy foods — is rapidly closing. The NFHS data must drive evidence-based policy, not celebratory complacency.
📊 NFHS-6 (2023–24): The Gains — What Improved
Stunting ↓ 32% Down by 17 percentage points. A landmark achievement in child nutrition.
Severe Wasting ↓ Significant decline in severe wasting among children — reflects improved feeding practices.
Inst. Deliveries >90% Institutional deliveries now above 90% — massive gain for maternal and neonatal safety.
Immunisation >87% Full immunisation coverage for children aged 12–23 months rose to over 87%.
TFR = 2.0 Total Fertility Rate stabilised at 2.0 — below the replacement level of 2.1. Historic milestone.
⚠️ NFHS-6: The Pain — Unaddressed & Emerging Burdens
⚖️ The Dual Burden of Malnutrition + Obesity
NFHS-6 flags a dangerous "dual public health burden" — malnutrition persists while obesity surges simultaneously.
Obesity among men: Rose from 22.9% to 27.3% in just three years.
Obesity among women: Rose from 24% to 30.7% in the same period.
This explosive obesity surge sets the stage for a nationwide NCD epidemic — diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic disorders.
Some level of malnutrition persists alongside this obesity surge — India now faces both ends of the nutrition spectrum simultaneously.
🍼 Declining Exclusive Breastfeeding
Exclusive breastfeeding among children under six months declined from 63.7% in NFHS-5 to 55.8% in NFHS-6.
Breast feeding is essential to prevent infant malnutrition, build immunity, and reduce infant mortality.
This decline signals a reversal of progress precisely when stunting and wasting are falling — an internal contradiction in India's child health story that demands urgent policy attention.
🔮 The NCD Time Bomb — Why It Must Be Addressed Now
Demographic Transition Risk: As India progresses through a demographic transition to a greyer nation, the burden of lifestyle diseases (diabetes, heart disease, metabolic disorders) will explode — particularly as the ageing population swells.
The SRS & National Health Accounts Survey Gap: Other India-level data from the SRS and the National Health Accounts Survey reveal a lack of focus or funds for lifestyle diseases and metabolic disorders — despite their rapidly rising burden.
Window Closing: Comprehensive screening programmes, behaviour change communication, and taxation on unhealthy food must be deployed NOW — while the population is still relatively young and transformations are still possible.
💡 Policy Interventions Needed
Comprehensive NCD Screening: Set up nation-wide screening programmes for diabetes, hypertension, and metabolic disorders — at village, town, and city level.
Behaviour Change Communication: Stress on diet and exercise — particularly targeting urban populations transitioning to sedentary lifestyles.
Taxation on Unhealthy Foods: Higher taxes on sugared beverages and packaged foods to reduce NCD burden — a globally proven intervention.
Bolstering Health Systems: Strengthen health systems to tackle NCDs once they set in — at every level from primary health centres to district hospitals.
Breastfeeding Campaigns: Reverse the decline in exclusive breastfeeding through targeted awareness and maternity support policies.
🇮🇳 NFHS as a Policy Tool
The NFHS is one of the largest cross-sectional household surveys in the world. It could easily be considered the primary tool to define public policy and evidence-based governance, besides tracking development indicators. However, its potential is underutilised — India needs to ensure that every NFHS data point translates into a funded programme, not just a press release. The shift from disease treatment to disease prevention and health promotion must become the new paradigm of India's public health system.
"NFHS-6 data presents India with both a triumph and a disaster — significant gains in child health coexist with an alarming surge in obesity and lifestyle diseases." Analyze India's dual public health burden and suggest a comprehensive policy response. (GS-2, 250 words)
Discuss the significance of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) as a tool for evidence-based public health governance in India. (GS-2, 150 words)
"As India undergoes a demographic transition, the shift in disease burden from communicable to non-communicable diseases demands an urgent reorientation of health policy." Examine. (GS-2, 250 words)
🎯 Practice MCQs
Prelims Q1
With reference to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) data for 2023–24, consider the following statements:
1. India's Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has stabilised at 2.0, which is below the replacement level of 2.1.
2. The rate of exclusive breastfeeding among children under six months has increased significantly compared to NFHS-5.
3. Institutional deliveries in India have crossed 90% as per NFHS-6.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
📖 View Explanation
Statement 1 is correct ✓ — NFHS-6 (2023–24) confirms India's TFR has stabilised at 2.0, which is below the demographic replacement level of 2.1 — a landmark demographic milestone.
Statement 2 is incorrect ✗ — Exclusive breastfeeding among children under six months has actually declined from 63.7% in NFHS-5 to 55.8% in NFHS-6 — a worrying reversal that demands urgent policy attention.
Statement 3 is correct ✓ — Institutional deliveries have crossed 90% as per NFHS-6 — a major achievement for maternal and neonatal health safety.
Answer: (b) — 1 and 3 only
THE HINDU | International Relations + Connectivity + Geopolitics
🌐 IMEC is Caught Between Commerce and Geopolitics
Author: Rajeev Agarwal (Retired Colonel, Senior Research Consultant at CRF Delhi; Author of 'Between Tehran and Tel Aviv') | Context: The ongoing Iran conflict shattering myths of military supremacy and exposing structural vulnerabilities of IMEC — the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor.
📋 Syllabus:GS-2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interestsGS-3: Infrastructure — Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways; Investment modelsGS-2: Effect of policies of developed and developing countries on India's interests; Indian diaspora
🎯 Why in News? The ongoing Iran-Israel conflict has shattered multiple myths — of military superiority, of safe choke points, and of stable West Asian geopolitics. The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), officially announced at the G-20 Summit in New Delhi in September 2023, is now severely complicated by the war. Key ports along its route — including in the UAE — have been repeatedly targeted. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have adopted diverging positions, threatening the corridor's foundational partnership architecture.
⚡ Core Argument
The Iran conflict has simultaneously strengthened the case for IMEC — by exposing the vulnerabilities of Suez Canal and Strait of Hormuz choke points — while massively complicating its execution. Two key fault lines have emerged: (1) Key ports in the UAE have been targeted, exposing IMEC's geographical vulnerability; (2) Saudi Arabia and UAE have adopted diverging strategic postures toward the conflict, threatening the seamless cooperation IMEC requires. IMEC must evolve into a broader, more flexible framework, explore alternate eastern entry points (Oman ports), and leverage India's unique position of trust with both Saudi Arabia and the UAE to navigate this diplomatic minefield.
🗺️ What is IMEC? — The Framework
IMEC — India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor
Announced: G-20 Summit, New Delhi, September 2023.
Vision: Transformative connectivity initiative connecting India with Europe across the Arabian Peninsula — bypassing the traditional choke point of the Suez Canal.
Nature: Holistic, multidimensional infrastructure project — not just a transport corridor. Encompasses sea routes, rail networks, pipelines, undersea high-speed data links, green hydrogen corridors, and transnational energy transmission grids.
Three Sections:
Eastern Section: India → West Asia via sealinks → UAE.
Central Section: Overland through UAE → Saudi Arabia → Jordan → Israel → Port of Haifa.
Western Section: Haifa → Europe via sea — connecting to European transport networks.
Strategic Intent: Reduce dependence on Malacca Strait AND Suez Canal simultaneously — diversifying India's trade routes.
💥 How the Iran Conflict Complicated IMEC
⚠️ Physical & Geographic Vulnerabilities
October 7, 2023 Effect: The war in Gaza broke out soon after IMEC was announced — placing the project on the back burner immediately after its launch.
UAE Ports Targeted: Key ports in the UAE — particularly Jebel Ali and Fujairah — have been repeatedly targeted during the conflict, exposing IMEC's deep geographical vulnerabilities at its most critical nodal points.
Strait of Hormuz Blockade: Iran imposed a blockade early in the conflict — virtually bringing the global economy to its knees. ~20 million barrels of crude oil (about a third of global supply) pass through this narrow passage daily. India imports ~88% of its crude oil requirements — ~1.8 billion barrels annually — making it among the most affected nations.
Israel-Palestine Factor: Major areas of the originally envisioned corridor — particularly those involving Israel and the Port of Haifa — were directly affected by the conflict.
🤝 The Saudi Arabia–UAE Divergence
The war has exposed deep faultlines between Saudi Arabia and the UAE in their positions toward the conflict.
The UAE's April 2026 announcement of opting out of the global oil grouping (OPEC) and reports of its growing strategic coordination with Israel — including deployment of Iron Beam defense systems — risk widening differences between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi.
Both Saudi Arabia and UAE are key partners in IMEC — any adversarial posture between them could prove a major setback for the corridor, whose success depends on smooth coordination and seamless connectivity across the region.
💡 Navigating the Challenges — Two-Level Solution
Challenge 1 — Conflict Zones & Choke Points: IMEC must evolve into a broader and more flexible framework while keeping open the possibility of reverting to the originally envisioned alignment once the conflict subsides.
Eastern Entry Points (Oman Ports): The ports of Salalah, Duqm, and Muscat in Oman could be explored as alternate eastern entry points — located well away from the conflict-prone Strait of Hormuz.
Western Alternative (Egypt): Until the Port of Haifa becomes a secure transit hub, Egypt — which already possesses the logistics ecosystem required to support IMEC, including the Suez Canal Economic Zone, six operational ports, and four industrial zones specializing in green hydrogen, LNG, shipbuilding — could offer a viable western alternative.
Challenge 2 — Saudi-UAE Divergence: Countries like India — which enjoy close relations and the trust of both Saudi Arabia and the UAE — must navigate a delicate but critical diplomatic terrain.
European Champions: Italy and France, positioning themselves as key champions of IMEC in Europe, will also need to play an active role.
Modi's Europe Visit (May 2026): PM Modi's visit elevated bilateral ties with Italy to Special Strategic Partnership level — India and Italy reaffirmed commitment to cooperate on IMEC, recognising its transformative potential.
🇮🇳 India's Strategic Imperative
For India, IMEC is not just a trade corridor — it is a strategic instrument to reduce dependence on Malacca Strait, bypass Suez Canal, diversify energy supply chains, and deepen ties with Gulf partners, Europe, and Israel simultaneously. India's unique position of being trusted by both Saudi Arabia and UAE gives it an irreplaceable diplomatic role in keeping IMEC alive despite the conflict. However, India must also ensure its own port and logistics capacity — particularly at JNPT, Mundra, and the Vizhinjam transshipment hub — is ready to anchor IMEC's eastern end.
🔑 Key Terms
IMEC (India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor)G-20 New Delhi Summit 2023Strait of Hormuz BlockadeSuez Canal Choke PointPort of Haifa (Israel)Jebel Ali / Fujairah (UAE)Salalah / Duqm / Muscat (Oman)Iron Beam (Israel Air Defense)BRI (Belt & Road Initiative)INSTC (Int'l North-South Transport Corridor)Green Hydrogen CorridorOperation Epic Fury (US-Iran)
✏ Probable Mains Questions
"The ongoing conflict in West Asia has simultaneously strengthened the strategic rationale for IMEC while severely complicating its execution." Critically analyze. (GS-2, 250 words)
Discuss the significance of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) for India's trade and strategic interests. What are the major geopolitical obstacles it faces? (GS-2/GS-3, 250 words)
"The Iran conflict has exposed the vulnerability of global choke points and underlined the urgency of developing alternative connectivity routes." Examine with reference to India's strategic interests. (GS-2, 150 words)
🎯 Practice MCQs
Prelims Q1
With reference to the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), consider the following statements:
1. IMEC was officially announced at the G-20 Summit held in New Delhi in September 2023.
2. The central section of IMEC consists of an overland route traversing the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Israel, culminating at the Port of Haifa.
3. IMEC is conceived primarily as a maritime shipping route and does not encompass rail networks, pipelines, or digital infrastructure.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
📖 View Explanation
Statement 1 is correct ✓ — IMEC was officially announced at the G-20 Summit in New Delhi in September 2023, as a transformative connectivity initiative connecting India with Europe across the Arabian Peninsula.
Statement 2 is correct ✓ — The central section of IMEC consists of an overland route traversing the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Israel, culminating at the Port of Haifa on Israel's Mediterranean coast. The western section then connects Haifa to various European ports via sea.
Statement 3 is incorrect ✗ — IMEC is conceived as a holistic and multidimensional infrastructure project — not merely a maritime route. It encompasses sea routes, rail networks, pipelines, undersea high-speed data links, green hydrogen corridors, and transnational energy transmission grids.
Answer: (a) — 1 and 2 only
Prelims Q2
Consider the following statements about the Strait of Hormuz:
1. The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea and is the world's most important oil transit chokepoint.
2. Iran shares a coastline with the Strait of Hormuz only on its southern side.
3. India imports approximately 88% of its crude oil requirements — making it among the nations most affected by any disruption to the Strait of Hormuz.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
📖 View Explanation
Statement 1 is correct ✓ — The Strait of Hormuz, connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman (and hence the Arabian Sea), is the world's most important oil transit chokepoint. About 20 million barrels of crude oil (~20% of global oil consumption) pass through it daily.
Statement 2 is incorrect ✗ — Iran shares coastlines on both the northern side (the longer Persian Gulf coast) and the southern side (via the Musandam peninsula area) of the Strait of Hormuz. More precisely, Iran and Oman share control of the strait's passage — Iran on the north and Oman's Musandam Peninsula on the south.
Statement 3 is correct ✓ — India imports approximately 88% of its crude oil requirements — amounting to ~1.8 billion barrels annually. This makes India among the most affected nations globally in the event of a Strait of Hormuz disruption.
Answer: (c) — 1 and 3 only
⚡ Quick Revision Summary
Topic
Core Argument
Key Data / Terms
Syllabus
🛰️ China's Space Power
China is preparing for orbital war — ASAT missiles (DN-3, SC-19), lasers, jammers, co-orbital satellites (SJ & TJS series). India has only ~60 satellites vs. 400+ Chinese military satellites — severe redundancy deficit. Must expand constellation, disaggregate platforms, protect ground assets, build data-sharing partnerships.
Mission Shakti (4th ASAT nation), Kessler Syndrome, NavIC, CARTOSAT/RISAT, LEO, 36,000 Chinese LEO satellites by 2030.
IMEC (announced G-20 Delhi, Sept 2023) — India to Europe via UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel (Haifa). Iran conflict exposed IMEC's vulnerabilities: UAE ports targeted, Strait of Hormuz blocked, Saudi-UAE divergence. Alternate routes: Oman ports (Salalah/Duqm/Muscat) in east; Egypt as western alternative. India's diplomatic trust with both KSA and UAE is its strategic asset.
IMEC, G-20 2023, Strait of Hormuz, Port of Haifa, Jebel Ali/Fujairah, Oman ports, BRI, INSTC, Green Hydrogen Corridor.
