New Delhi, 7th March 2007

While the US, China, Japan and Russia are all catching up on the space race or the race to tame the final frontier as it’s called, the Indian space program is still light years away. When I mean light years, I am talking at least 25 years behind the leader. For example, their “Chandrayan” mission is really well meant and maybe doable with the current capabilities but honestly lacks the vital strategic vision.

If the program is really geared to showcase to the “developed world” that India has the capability to launch rockets to the Moon, the ISRO is on the wrong track! The world is not looking to India for innovation in aerospace!!!! They are already 25 years ahead and will only turn their heads to an Indian space program, if something drastic or path breaking comes out of India!

Granted that the Indians had vimans flying 10,000 years ago and a well documented vimanik shastra, but that doesn’t serve any good towards innovation. Innovation should be constant and the innovator or inventor should be way ahead of the 2^nd place guy.

This is not meant to demean the ISRO. They are a group of really hardworking brilliant tacticians and scientists (highly underpaid though) but they are not backed by a strong Indian political vision.

The US is almost certain to land on the Moon (again!!!) in another 10 years and set up a base there for deeper exploration of outer space onwards. Their targeted Mars exploration and habitation program could be online in another 25 years which means that a whole planet is left open for colonization and adaptation towards human life. The Chinese, Japanese and Russians also have similar programs but on smaller scales as far as I can assume and gather.

India, on the other hand is experiencing great economic growth which may not be hindered by the lack of economic vision on the part of any successive governments. However, it certainly needs a “vision for air and space”. It needs to have a roadmap for the next 100–150 years on what Space will bring towards the well being of the Indian state. Now, I may be going into a prohibited area, but at the current rate, the world’s resources vs. the world population don’t really balance out after the next 25 years.

Sooner or later there are bound to be wars for resources –– oil, land and food and of course, man finds new reasons for wars just as easily as he can lie or exploit.

Coming back to the need for the “vision for space “, successive India Air Force Commanders and Chiefs of Staff have argued for the IAF to have an Indian Aerospace Command. Their logic is to have all air, space and outer space assets under their reporting and a comprehensive coverage area developed that will protect India from any outside projectiles.

The IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Major and ISRO chief Mr. Nair recently have been talking aloud in the public for such a marriage of convenience but they are still powerless before the Indian cabinet. From what I hear, the parliament struck down the proposal for an aerospace command for reasons only known to their brilliant mindsets!!!

That decision could change in a huff! Here is why……..

The IAF is about to issue RFP’s for 126 fighters. The US, Russians, Swedes and the French will all come out with great planes and configurations. But, here is a gut check the IAF needs to do!

Let the IAF ask the question (even before giving out the RFP’s) to the sellers of the F-16/18’s, Mig 35’s, Grippen and Rafale:  Is the aircraft they are about to sell to the IAF going to stay in their own inventory for the next 25 years ??

“The prospective sellers would like to say yes but the answer is a resounding no “

The US F-16/18’s are 30 years old and that country is currently adopting F-22 Raptors and JSF’s for their air force, marine corps and navy. The US is so far ahead in the UCAV and unmanned bomber development that the F-22’s/JSF’s will become old technology in another 5–10 years.

Similarly, the Mig-29/35 design is equally old and Mig 35 never saw production in Russia. The Russians are offering joint R&D on 5th generation fighters which is great but this century belongs to unmanned 7^th generation vehicles with unquestioned thrust vectoring and multi mission capabilities. Grippen and Rafale are untested in battles and are unworthy of mention…….and they don’t even come close to Su-30 which the Indians already have in their inventory.

So what’s the answer? The answer is three fold:

1. The Indian Government should think of situations where the country is at war and needs spares to fuel its war machine. It should not be faced with a scenario where war birds are stranded on airfields due to one screw or pin missing. Indians should go for a technology that can be replicated in India without a need to look to the seller for spares all the time, especially in crisis. So, if the Russians, the US or any other country will partner in a joint R&D effort towards a new age technology that will serve the country for the next 25–50 years, the IAF, ISRO and DRDO should go for it. The Russians and the US are now strategic allies and can be depended on such efforts.

2. Create the Indian Aerospace Force or Command. The IAF, ISRO and NRSA should be merged into this command. This is tough because of inherent bureaucracy and different styles of functioning, but if you want Space to be explored, protected and utilized, all these functions should be converged into one organization.

3. Strengthen the culture of Air and Space research in education. Too many young kids want to become software engineers and doctors not knowing that the market is already overcrowded with zombies. The Government should create awards and provide for funding to companies and individuals that innovate in defence and space research. My assumption is that the IAF is already looking positively at private entrepreneurs but more of them need to come up. This will create competition and spur innovation!!!

Finally, the IAF should stop using and upgrading old planes. Other than Su-30’s and Mig -29’s all other planes are obsolete!!!

Any sensible person inside or outside the IAF can say this; ‘it’s better not having an air force than having an air force that can’t guarantee good planes for its young men’.

It’s high time for the Indian government to take action or another movie like “Rang De Basanti” (which is of course a great movie) will definitely win the Oscars. Great movie but a shame to 1.2 billion Indians!!!!

Pramod Buravalli is Associate Vice President (Asia Pacific), TechRP Inc, Nashville , USA . He may be contacted at pramodsai@hotmail.com.

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