Ajey Lele

The successful test of the Agni-5 with MIRV capability serves as a clear signal of India’s credible nuclear deterrence posture.

• Ajey Lele |
• May 11, 2026 |
• IDSA Comments

Deputy Director General, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt (Dr) Ajey Lele’s article ‘India draws a line against China in space’ has been published in Deccan Herald on 09 May 2026. The decision was driven by national security concerns arising from AsiaSat’s links to China, particularly the 50.5% ownership stake held by China International Trust and Investment Corporation (CITIC) Group Corporation, writes Gp Capt Lele. Read article [+]

Deputy Director General, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt (Dr) Ajey Lele’s article ‘What’s shaping space race 2.0—minerals on Moon, human colonies, Helium-3’ has been published in ‘The Print’ on 13 April 2026. The Artemis Accords can be seen as an early American effort to shape the legal, technological, and policy frameworks governing access to, and use of, lunar resources, says Gp Capt Lele. Read Complete Article [+] Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author are personal and do not in any way reflect the views of MP-IDSA or the Government of India.

Deputy Director General, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt (Dr) Ajey Lele’s Commentary ‘Artemis II: A New Era of Human Deep-Space Exploration and Strategic Competition’ has been published in Society for the Study of Peace and Conflict on 12 April 2026. The success of Artemis II marks a decisive transition in human space exploration, from symbolic exploration to sustained strategic presence. It integrates social inclusivity, scientific advancement, and geopolitical positioning into a single mission architecture, says Gp Capt Lele. Read Complete Article [+] Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author are personal and do not in any way reflect the views of MP-IDSA or the Government of India.

Deputy Director General, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt (Dr) Ajey Lele’s article ‘Artemis II: A Successful Human Mission to the Lunar Region’ has been published in Taaza Khabar News in 12 April 2026. The achievements of the Artemis II mission mark a major step forward for the US Moon programme, writed Gp Capt Lele. Read Complete Article [+] Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author are personal and do not in any way reflect the views of MP-IDSA or the Government of India.

Deputy Director General, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt (Dr) Ajey Lele’s chapter ‘India and Biorisks’ has been published in December 2025 edition of UNODA Occasional Paper No 46 ‘The Biological Weapons Convention at 50 Perspectives from Asia and the Pacific’. Read Complete Article [+] Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author are personal and do not in any way reflect the views of MP-IDSA or the Government of India.

Deputy Director General, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt (Dr) Ajey Lele’s article ‘New Space Race: Artemis II and the US-China Rivalry Over the Moon’ has been published in ‘The Wire’ on 03 April 2026. The United States and China are reaching for the Moon, not just to explore and discover anew, but to demonstrate their technological superiority in the domain of space, says Gp Capt Lele. Read Complete Article [+] Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author are personal and do not in any way reflect the views of MP-IDSA or the Government of India.

The broader goal of the Artemis programme is to establish human settlements on the lunar surface while laying the foundation for future deep-space exploration.

• Ajey Lele |
• April 02, 2026 |
• IDSA Comments

Deputy Director General, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt (Dr) Ajey Lele’s article ‘NavIC: India’s “jinxed” navigational program, or a cornerstone of India’s misplaced space priorities?’ has been published in ‘The Space Review’ on 23 March 2026.

The NavIC story should be an eye opener to India’s policy planners, demonstrating the requirement for India to have a sharper policy focus on strengthening strategic necessities first, writes Gp Capt (Dr) Lele.

Deputy Director General, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt (Dr) Ajey Lele’s article ‘Anthropic and AI’s Oppenheimer Moment: How Israel-US Are Blurring Ethical Lines in Iran War’ has been published in ‘The Wire’ on 06 March 2026. While Anthropic is willing to prioritise ethical considerations over immediate profits, insisting on responsible and lawful use of its AI tools, companies like OpenAI are ready to fulfil the US military demands, writes Gp Capt Lele. Read Complete Article [+] Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author are personal and do not in any way reflect the views of MP-IDSA or the Government of India.