CHANDRAYAAN-3 AND ITS IMPACT ON INDIA’S DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL SPHERE BY - SAARTHAK SAMADDER & KINJAL DAS
CHANDRAYAAN-3 AND ITS IMPACT ON
INDIA’S DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL SPHERE
AUTHORED BY - SAARTHAK SAMADDER &
KINJAL DAS
Chandrayaan-3
On August 23, 2023, India made history
by being the first country to land on the moon's south pole. The mission's main
objective was to demonstrate a soft and safe landing, have a Rover roving on
the moon, and conduct scientific experiments. Previously, all spacecraft landed
near the equator because the terrain and temperature are more conducive for a
long and sustained operation. There is more sunlight in that area, helping
solar-powered instruments to recharge naturally.[1]
With the landing, India became the
fourth country to achieve a soft landing on the moon after the USA, USSR and
China. The Pragyaan Rover was to roam around the surface, collecting essential
data and images. The landing occurred three weeks after Russia attempted to
land at the South Pole using the Luna-25 spacecraft but failed. Previously, in
2019, India had also failed to land softly on the moon's surface. There is an
increasing interest in discovering the moon’s surface worldwide.[2]
NASA has declared the south pole of
the Moon to be full of “mystery, science and intrigue”. Since the moon has no
atmosphere, temperatures fall to -248°C. The Lunar Renaissance Orbiter has
shown evidence of enough water ice to sustain humanity. Chandrayaan-1 was the
first to suggest the presence of water on the moon. India, in collaboration
with Japan, is also planning a joint Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) to explore
the untrodden areas of the moon.[3] There
is a race to reach the moon's south pole, with India leading.
Chandrayaan-3 is sent to the South
Pole, a region believed to contain ice. The lunar ice is valuable for space
missions. It can give us records of volcanoes present on the Moon. It can be used
for cooling equipment and broken into hydrogen and oxygen molecules for fuel
and breathing. This would also serve as a stepping stone for future missions.[4]
Influence Of Chandrayaan-3 On Geopolitics
This achievement of India will pressure
the other superpowers, particularly with Russia's failure to make the mark. China
will perceive it as a competition to their lunar missions. Pakistan, too, will
be keenly observant as a neighbour.[5] Pakistan
has also launched its satellite development program, the Space Program 2040,
which intends to launch five GEO and six LEO satellites. This step is taken to
ensure that they remain a powerhouse in the region. With the cooperation of
China, Pakistan may soon join the elite club.[6]
Meanwhile, China is launching the
Chang’e 6 to the moon's south pole while it plans to send astronauts by 2030.
Having already succeeded in lunar landings through Chang’e 5, China hopes to
repeat the feat next year. The Chang’e 7 is planned to study the quality of
lunar water and its distribution, the lunar weather. This shows that China has
a clear roadmap designed for its space program.[7]
With so many missions lined up, India has the advantage of being the first
country to achieve this feat.
The success of Chandrayaan-3 establishes
India as a global power. It shows the technological prowess of the nation. It encourages
India’s goal to achieve 9% penetration in the global space economy by 2030. The
study of lunar quakes interests India and NASA's New Frontier Program. The Instrument
for the Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA), the first seismometer in the region, can
gather new facts about lunar geology.[8] It
allows ISRO to go around the Moon and analyse the environment. It gives direct
physical access to the Moon for the first time in the country, showcasing the
ability to land on the Moon. Such achievements help portray India as a great
power in the world politics. India is a signatory to several scientific
agreements like the Artemis Accords because of contributions like this.[9]
While India hopes to become a
permanent member of the UN Security Council and the Nuclear Suppliers Group,
this move makes India a member of the club that has landed on the moon
alongside the US, Russia and China. India signed the Artemis Accords in June
2023, during Modi’s visit to Washington, a competition with China's
International Lunar Research Station (ILRS).[10]
This will intensify the geopolitical battle as these events directly contradict
the actions of Russia and China. The relationship between India and China is
already deteriorating, and this acts as another nail in the coffin.
China intends to build the ILRS on
the Moon by the 2030s in collaboration with Russia, Venezuela and South Africa.
Pakistan and Belarus have also joined this mission as well. While China only
needs a little technical expertise from all the parties, it is trying to
include the members to create separate power blocs. Twenty-nine countries
signed the Artemis Accords, but the ILRS only by seven.[11]
The USA and India have decided to set
up a joint Working Group for Commercial Space Collaboration, assist in
developing capacity building for a mission to the International Space Station
and develop a strategic framework for human spaceflight. The collaboration extends
to asteroid detection and tracking using the Minor Planet Center.[12] Meanwhile,
China also plans to have their planetary defence mission with the help of its
increasingly growing regular space partner, Russia.
The rise of India’s space is
recommendable. From not being allowed to enter NASA to achieving milestones
which the superpowers have failed, India has come a long way. Various countries
are looking to sign agreements with India. India already has a huge influence
in Africa. Under the pan-African e-network, India has set-up a fibre network to
provide satellite connectivity, telemedicine and telecommunication in the
continent. The journey to the Moon acts as a feather on the cap displaying the
power of India.[13]
The timing of the landing was
strategically important. At that time, the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra
Modi, was physically present at the BRICS summit. At the summit, South Africa
joined as an ILRS member with China. When India hosted the G-20 conference a
few weeks later, China and Russia decided not to attend it. China views India
as a supporter of the U.S.-led international order trying to counter China on
various fronts. During the summit in New Delhi, the African Union (AU) became
the latest permanent member of the G-20. The African Space Agency under AU
hopes to collaborate with India for future endeavours. This increases the
influence of India on the continent and decreases that of the Chinese.[14]
Having shown its dominance in space
missions, India can now influence any international decisions taken on the
matter. It can play an essential role in conventions for drafting guidelines on
topics like space resource management and space militarisation to serve the
best interests of the parties involved. India can leverage its position to sign
MOUs with countries and pursue its interests.[15]
Countries have been undertaking space
missions since the Outer Space Treaty was enacted in 1967. The newfound area of
interest in space is the Moon and the asteroids. Important issues such as share
and utilisation of lunar resources need to be discussed as these are
non-renewable.[16] Moon
has abundant resources which can cause geopolitical disturbance in the future.
As per ISRO, a huge amount of water is stored in the Moon, which can be utilised
to create hydro-energy. There are other minerals like plutonium, helium 3,
cobalt, lithium and titanium present on the Moon. Various treaties envisage
peaceful usage of these resources; however, China has attempted to opt for an
aggressive approach. It promotes adventurism, which results in the accumulation
of waste, aggravating the alarming environmental crisis.[17]
Impact
of Chandrayaan-3 On National Politics
Space, especially the moon, has
intrigued humans for a long time. However, sending satellites is now cheaper
than it used to be since instruments are domestically made. The Indian space
market is currently valued at $8 billion. The annual growth rate is 4%, ahead
of the global rate of 2%. The revenue can reach $40 billion by 2040. This will
also help double the industry's contribution to the GDP from 0.25% to 0.5%.[18]
The budget disclosed for
Chandrayaan-3 was ?600 crore. On the other hand, Luna-25, which attempted to
land at the Moon’s south pole but failed, cost ?16,000 crore. Such low costs
have expanded the players in the industry, with private companies also
providing launch services. The growth has also created employment, with
numerous private companies entering the sector. Dr Jitendra Singh, the Union
Minister of State for Space, announced that the government is planning a Public
Private Partnership where ?36,000 crore of research funding is to come from
private entities and ?14,000 crore is to be offered from the government.[19]
The parliament passed the Anusandhan
National Research Foundation Act on 9 August 2023. Three days later, it
received the assent of the President.[20]
It sets up a foundation to assist and fund research to foster the country's
scientific progress. It also aims to involve the private players in better
research and development (R&D), encourage collaboration between scientists
worldwide and streamline the activities in this sphere.[21]
This showcases India’s capabilities
in space exploration. It will help boost the economy as it will attract more
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and encourage entrepreneurs to create
start-ups. With private players entering the market, India can be a global
provider of space-related solutions. It can help ignite interest among minds in
the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. It creates faith
that nothing is impossible with determination and hard work.[22]
The investment in the space economy
rises with time. A report by Deloitte suggests that $272 billion has been
raised by 1791 companies through equity for the last decade. Indian space economy
is expected to rise to US$13 billion by 2025, while Australia will increase to
US$7.5 billion. The Israeli Beresheet tried a soft landing on the Moon but
failed. A few months earlier, Hakuto-R, launched privately by Japan, which
attempted a soft landing, also failed. India has always been hailed for its
Moon mission. The Chandrayaan-1 succeeded in finding evidence of water in the
Moon. The Chandrayaan-3 was sent to the Moon at a meagre cost compared to that
of Project Apollo, sent by NASA. Although it lost contact after nearly a year,
it was lauded as a success by the National Space Society and the American
Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. The success of Chandrayaan-3 is a result
of India’s continued perseverance in achieving challenging missions.[23]
The Finance Minister, Nirmala
Sitharaman, said Chandrayaan-3 would significantly impact India’s industrial
and technological ecosystem. The attempt of the government to promote the youth
in founding start-ups and the ‘Make in India’ initiative have helped ISRO achieve
the feat. Over a hundred women also played a role in making the event a huge
success. It is an example of women's empowerment in the country. This will also help the agenda of the Nari
Shakti Vandana Adhiniyam, which aims to increase the involvement of women in
politics.[24]
ISRO depended on several indigenous
companies for the parts needed to make Chandrayaan-3. Tata Consultancy Engineers
Ltd. built critical systems and sub-systems for the project, which played an essential
role in the launch. Godrej Aerospace supplied the liquid propulsion engines such
as the Vikas Engine and satellite thrusters. Other companies such as Larsen
& Toubro, Walchandnagar Industries, Centum Electronics and Ananth
Technologies have also contributed.[25] After
the successful landing, shares of aerospace companies rose. The stocks of
Centum Electronics were trading at 8.6%, while the stocks gained 26% in five
trading sessions. MTAR Technologies saw a rise of 7.44% in their stocks, while Paras
Defence and Space Technologies had an 8.2% rise. The shares of Avantel were up by
8%. A few others also had a slight increase, such as Tata Elxsi, which had a 2%
rise, Bharat Electronics, with a 0.6% and L&T, which had a 0.5% rise.[26]
Conclusion
In conclusion, India's ambitious moon
mission, Chandrayaan-3, has significant political ramifications, highlighting
the country's changing place in the international space race. The project
demonstrates India's dedication to space exploration and reaffirms its status
as a mighty space power. Chandrayaan-3 represents the nation's resolve to
express its presence in space, not only for scientific and technological
reasons but also for geopolitical and strategic purposes, as more and more
countries actively participate in lunar missions.
With the successful completion of
Chandrayaan-3, India's diplomatic relations with other spacefaring countries
may be strengthened through international cooperation and partnerships. It can
influence international space laws and policies by acting as a catalyst for
global collaboration and, eventually, opening the door for cooperative lunar
exploration projects.
However, any difficulties or mishaps
with the Chandrayaan-3 mission could have political repercussions and damage
the position and reputation of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)
internationally. In the future, it may impact India's financial decisions,
strategic positioning, and space policy choices.
Chandrayaan-3 is not only an
important scientific project but also a potent political instrument that
showcases India's space capabilities and affects its reputation abroad. The
political ramifications of Chandrayaan-3 will persist as the space exploration
era progresses, influencing India's participation in international space
initiatives.
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[3] Soutik Biswas, Chandrayaan-3:
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[6] Fazal Abbas Awan & Umbreen
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[8] Manish Purohit, Chandrayaan-3
lands on Moon: A trifecta of grit, ambition, and global impact, India Today, August 24, 2023 (New Delhi)
[9] Amitabh Sinha, After the Moon,
K Kasturirangan explains what Chandrayaan-3 means for India as a space
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[11] Mike Wall, China recruits
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[12] Press Release, The White House, September 8, 2023, Joint
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[13] Ranjit Kumar, India’s Moon
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[14] Namrata Goswami, The Strategic
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[15] Meera Rohera, India’s Lunar
Landing: The Geopolitics of Chandrayaan-3, South
Asian Voices, September 11, 2023
[16] Rohini Krishnamurthy, How India’s
lunar landing shapes future of space exploration, geopolitics – an expert
explains, Down to Earth, September
20, 2023
[17] Nalin Kumar Mohapatra, How
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[19] Press Release, Department of Space, August 26, 2023, pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1952448
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[22] Times News Network, Chandrayaan-3’s
impact on India’s future, Education
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[23] Daniel Ricardo, How
Chandrayaan-3 Success Can Offer Huge Economic Benefits to India, NDTV, August
24, 2023
[24] PTI, Chandrayaan-3’s success
going to have a big impact on industrial, technological ecosystem: FM
Sitharaman, The Economic Times,
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[25] HT Respondent, Chandrayaan-3:
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[26] BL Mumbai Bureau, Chandrayaan-3
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