Sarkozy’s speech at ISRO was an interesting mix of issues relating to geostrategic significance, business, and collaboration in science and technology.
The Kalam-NSS Indian-American Energy Initiative is being conceptualized by individuals with experience in the field of space technologies as well as policy planning.
There is a need to appreciate the medical, social and ethical consequences and liabilities of the use of non-lethal weapons before putting them to use.
Over the years, a broad pattern regarding the states’ response to various arms control and disarmament agreements is becoming visible. Particularly, states which do have peaceful borders and do not envisage any military threats to their security are usually found opting for various disarmament ideas.
The PSVLC15 launch has enhanced India’s capability in the field of cartography and space reconnaissance and demonstrated its capabilities in the small satellites market.
Spilling of gas from a chemical factory can happen either because of accidental release or sabotage. In this era of terrorism such threats need to be reviewed on a much broader canvas.
Weather patterns in a neighbouring state can be affected by experiments conducted on own territory. China needs to clear suspicions that have been aroused by its weather modification actions.
It is a dream project not only for India’s space research organization (ISRO) but for all Indians. With the successful launch of the Moon Mission, ISRO had put India into the bracket of deep-space achievers. The world took serious note of India’ space programme when in October 2008 ISRO successfully launched its satellite Chandrayan-1 towards the moon. If the 1998 Pokharan nuclear tests had helped India demonstrate its ‘hard power’ status, the success of the moon mission indirectly played a significant role towards establishing the ‘soft power’ credentials of the country.
ISRO cannot afford failures
ISRO needs to conduct a thorough enquiry particularly because failure in a time-tested and launch proven “stage one technology” is undesirable.