 "Why any future conflict will be a single front for Bharat")
The title may sound alarming in defiance of the long-held view that Bharat should be ready for a two-front war. Having gone through Operation Sindoor (even if partially), one can confidently derive that the adversary has demonstrated that it is in effect an ‘autonomous region’ of China since no war-waging asset was its own. It also became clear that the Chinese satellite network Baidu continuously searched, identified, and tracked targets on the Indian side, and thereafter the data was fed to the fire control systems of the aircraft that were being tested by China through the air force of its autonomous region–Pakistan. Therefore, the air-to-air missiles could have found a target on the Indian side of the Line of Control (LoC).
It may be recalled that a few years ago, the Western Theatre Command of China’s Operations room was linked to Pakistan’s Ops room in Rawalpindi by optical fibre cable, which, in all probability, can link/replicate the Rawalpindi Ops room to the Western Theatre Command Ops room; effectively, the war can be fought and controlled from a master controller far away from Rawalpindi.
More importantly, the weapon platforms and entire paraphernalia of warfare of the Chinese Autonomous Region of Pakistan are of China’s. Not only the Air Force (barring the F16), but now the Navy will be fully equipped with Chinese frigates and submarines. It is not a matter of chance that Pakistan is completely dependent on Chinese systems. It is well planned to achieve not only interoperability but interchangeability across the entire Indian border, be it the LoC, the Line of Actual Control (LAC), or the International Border (IB). All the platforms used have to be compatible with the Chinese satellite constellation Baidu.
Therefore, no matter where on the border the aggression is—west, northwest, north, or northeast—Bharat will face weapon and space-based systems of only one adversary, China. It would be wise to consider our entire border as ONE FRONT, the Chinese front. Pakistan is in effect an ‘autonomous region’ of China and a trial and testing platform for Chinese-produced systems. It was not surprising to observe the stock markets in China responding positively during Op Sindoor after Day One of the conflict. It would also not be surprising if we learn that the Chinese weapon platforms have been leased to its autonomous region–Pakistan–to cut down the cost to virtually zero; otherwise, to imagine that Pakistan has bought these as an outright purchase in its pathetic economic state will be a stretch.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsNo matter where Bharat has a conflict, it will be up against similar systems—one seamless theatre. It should not be a surprise if the war is fought from one ops room of the Western Theatre Command.
Recently, General Stephen Whiting, Commander of the US Space Force, expressed concern to the military publication Breaking Defence about China’s expanding capabilities in the space-based ‘kill chain’. His remarks came shortly after the US conducted Operation Midnight Hammer—airstrikes on suspected Iranian nuclear facilities—reportedly utilising advanced space-based assets.
Whiting has identified three areas of concern (which Bharat needs to note as well).
First, Beijing’s space-based targeting systems are aimed at locating, tracking, and striking targets across the Indo-Pacific region. The Chinese military uses these systems to support over-the-horizon precision strikes. The Indo-Pacific Commander of the US Space Force, Anthony Mastalir, has reported that China was using a large number of satellites to find, fix, track, and target terrestrial capabilities of the US, its four aircraft carriers, and other US assets (by that it could target Indian assets too). The end of 2024 fact sheet of the United States Space Force (USSF) mentions that China has more than 510 satellites capable of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). These satellites have optical, multispectral, radar, and radio frequency sensors for detecting military assets and activities. Over the past 10 years, China has added 875 satellites in orbit. In 2024 alone, 260 space objects were launched, of which 67 are ISR-capable satellites.
The second threat Whiting pointed out was China’s deployment of a series of weapons to counter US-based space capabilities, including ‘soft kills’—like reversible cyberattacks, satellite communication, and GPS jamming—plus ‘hard kills’ like high-energy lasers. (By that logic, a similar offensive against Indian space-based assets). He also pointed at direct ascent anti-satellite rockets and missiles as well as co-orbital anti-satellite systems. In fact, the report goes on to say that in March this year they observed Chinese satellites practicing ‘space dogfights’ in orbit, or multiple satellites making controlled synchronised manoeuvres.
The third area of concern that Whiting pointed out is the way in which the Chinese military was moving ‘breathtakingly fast,’ with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) integrating its space capabilities into traditional forces. It seems the Chinese have leveraged all the advantages of space to make their army, navy, and air force more lethal, more precise, and more far-ranging, using space-enabled service.
It may be recalled that China added an aerospace unit under its Strategic Support Force Branch in a major structural overhaul in 2016, which is three years earlier than the US Space Force creation (we do not have one).
(The figures quoted and other quotations have been referenced from an article published by Liu Zhen in the South China Morning Post).
Space is the new frontier for strategic competition and potential conflict.
What we witnessed during Op Sindoor was a test of these advancements in a real warlike scenario. Irrespective of the location of our future conflicts, the space assets will be used, which makes our front a SINGLE entity further for the adversary. The ISR-enabled satellite inputs to the weapon platforms will make them more lethal and projectiles more precise at enhanced ranges. Interoperability/interchangeability will now mean that all the platforms of China and its autonomous region, Pakistan, will be paired with the Baidu satellite network for precise identification, lock, and fire at enhanced ranges. These are not Star Wars stories anymore but a reality. Bharat must move swiftly to not only integrate space-based assets with its defence platforms but also to develop a robust strategy to deny adversaries access to space-based intelligence and support.
The author is Chairman, Trustee Board of India Foundation. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views.
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