Five days after Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee visited Beijing to settle India - China border issues, and weeks after India discovered Chinese threats to its communication network and other space assets, India launched the Integrated Space Cell (ISC). The establishment of the ISC oddly follows an agreement between India and China on peace and tranquility, ongoing confidence building measures and a MoU on defence cooperation - marking another twist in the ‘friendly enemy’ status the two countries share.

Justifying the formation of the cell, Defence Minister A. K. Antony said at the United Commanders’ conference that India wanted to utilise space for peaceful purposes and remained committed to non-weaponisation of space. However, “offensive counter space systems like anti-satellite weaponry, new classes of heavy-lift and small boosters and an improved array of military space systems have emerged in our neighbourhood.” according to the Hindu.

The Space Cell will be put under the command of the Integrated Defence Services Headquarters and will act as a single window for integration among the armed forces, the department of space and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), the Times of India reported.

Yesterday, A K Antony, Indian Defence Minister said India would follow a non-confrontational approach towards its neighbour. “There is enough space for the two countries to mutually cooperate and develop, while remaining sensitive to each other’s concerns,” Antony said in his address to the Unified Commanders conference of the Integrated Defence Staff, as told by PTI . “We (India) are not ignoring (these incidents). To a maximum extent, we will try to avoid confrontation,” Anthony added.

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