India in Space: Between Utility and Geopolitics

This book presents the renewing strategic vision and progressive diversification of the Indian space programme at the nexus socio-economic development, commerce and geopolitics. It disentangles India´s evolving rationales for engaging in space from a wide range of perspectives and provides novel and in-depth assessment of the domestic, regional and international factors influencing the pace and directions of the country's space programme. The study hence includes an extensive analysis of India's path forward, including a reflection on the long-term evolution of its civil, military and commercial space efforts, as well as considerations on the toolbox India has at its disposal, on the prospected adaptation of the space ecosystem, and on the implications these evolutions may generate both domestically and internationally. A central part of this final analysis is more specifically devoted to elaborating on the prospects and opportunities for European stakeholders, with the goal of identifying possible domains of closer and mutually beneficial Europe-India space cooperation and sorting out possible elements for a comprehensive European long-term strategy towards India.

Provides an insightful assessment of the diversification of the Indian space program Elucidates India'semerging commercial, diplomatic, defence and security-related uses of space in addition to the traditional socio-economic ones Investigates the long-term trajectory of India's space activities and elaborates its future implications at international level Integrates detailed and up-to-date technical accounts of Indian space activities with informed policy analyses revolving around broader domestic, regional and international issues

Inhalt
Introduction.- India's path in space: a brief history of an evolving endeavour.- Space activities in India: the current landscape.- Understanding India's uses of space: space in India's socio-economic development.- Understandng India's uses of space: space in India's changing geopolitics.- Competition and cooperation in India's space relations.- India's future path in space.- Nurturing the India Opportunity. An European perspective.- Annexes.