Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses
मनोहर पर्रिकर रक्षा अध्ययन एवं विश्लेषण संस्थान

Ajey Lele

Group Captain (Dr) Ajey Lele (Retd.) is the Deputy Director General, MP-IDSA. Earlier, he was a Senior Fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses and headed its Centre on Strategic Technologies. He started his professional career as an officer in the Indian Air Force in 1987 and took early retirement from the service to pursue his academic interests. He has a Masters degree in Physics from Pune University, and Masters and MPhil degrees in Defence and Strategic Studies from Madras University. He has done his doctorate from the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. His specific areas of research include issues related to Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), Space Security and Strategic Technologies. He has contributed articles to various national and international journals, websites and newspapers. He has authored ten books and has also been an editor for seven books. He is a recipient of the K. Subrahmanyam Award (2013) which is conferred for outstanding contribution in the area of strategic and security studies.

Deputy Director General

Publication

First anniversary of Chandrayaan-3 mission: When India pioneered landing on lunar south pole

Deputy Director General, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt Ajey Lele’s article ‘First anniversary of Chandrayaan-3 mission: When India pioneered landing on lunar south pole’ has been published in First Post on 14 July 2024.

With the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, India became the first country in the world to land near the lunar south pole, says Gp Capt Lele.

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  • Published: 15 July, 2024

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Remembering Starfish Prime

Deputy Director General, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt Ajey Lele’s article ‘Remembering Starfish Prime’ has been published in ‘The Space Review’ on 08 July 2024.

Starfish Prime was a high-altitude nuclear test conducted by the United States on July 9, 1962. It was reported that the blast had disabled some satellites (around two dozen satellites were operational at the time), including a British bird called Ariel 1, the first ever satellite launched by the United Kingdom, writes Gp Capt Lele.

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  • Published: 10 July, 2024

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China-France space partnership soaring to new heights

Deputy Director General, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt Ajey Lele’s opinion piece ‘China-France space partnership soaring to new heights’ has been published in Financial Express on 29 June 2024.

These recent space endeavors highlight the ongoing partnership and collaboration in space exploration between China and France, says Gp Capt Lele.

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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.

  • Published: 1 July, 2024

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Chang’e-6 Spacecraft Brings Lunar Dust to Earth, Revealing China’s ‘Moon Agenda’

Deputy Director General, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt Ajey Lele’s opinion piece ‘Chang’e-6 spacecraft brings lunar dust to Earth, revealing China’s 'Moon agenda'’ has been published in First Post on 26 June 2024.

The Chinese are very systematically making progress towards their ambition of sending a human to the Moon by 2030, says Gp Capt Lele.

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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.

  • Published: 27 June, 2024

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From Deterrence to Defecation: North Korea’s Balloon Beating

Deputy Director General, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt Ajey Lele’s article ‘From Deterrence to Defecation: North Korea’s Balloon Beating’ has been published in ‘The Wire’ on 16 June 2024. It is important not to dismiss any potential risks regarding the potential threat posed by balloon-based activities. States like South Korea (and Japan) need to remain alert and cautious, 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.

  • Published: 16 June, 2024

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Great Power Rivalry in Space

Deputy Director General, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt Ajey Lele’s article ‘Great Power Rivalry in Space’ has been published in NatStrat on 10 June 2024. For years, states like India have maintained a deliberate distance from the great power rivalries unfolding in the space domain. Since its inception, India's investment in space technologies has been primarily directed towards socio economic development, an agenda that persists to this day. Presently, India is actively expanding its private space sector to bolster the space economy. Concurrently, India is also leveraging space technologies to bolster its armed forces' capabilities, says Gp Capt Lele. Read Complete Article [+] 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.

  • Published: 10 June, 2024

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Space Bonhomie: China Launches Satellite For Pakistan

Deputy Director General, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt Ajey Lele’s article ‘Space Bonhomie: China Launches Satellite For Pakistan’ has been published by Society for the Study of Peace and Conflict (SSPC) on 08 June 2024. Analyzing Pakistan's historical and current trajectory in space exploration, it appears their reliance on China will likely persist for the foreseeable future. Read Complete Article [+] 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.

  • Published: 8 June, 2024

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Agnikul Showcased more than ‘Rocket Science

Deputy Director General, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt Ajey Lele’s article ‘Agnikul showcased more than ‘rocket science’ has been published in Deccan Herald on 07 June 2024.

With the launch, Agnikul became only the second Indian private company to do a sub-orbital space launch, after Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace, which launched its Vikram-S rocket in November 2022, says Gp Capt Lele.

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  • Published: 7 June, 2024

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Normandy Landings: Correct Weather Forecast saved the Day

Deputy Director General, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt Ajey Lele’s article ‘Normandy Landings: Correct Weather Forecast saved the Day’ has been published in Financial Express on 06 June 2024.

June 6, 2024, will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings along the Normandy coast during World War II, says Gp Capt Lele.

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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.

  • Published: 7 June, 2024

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