The Geostrategic Implications of an Asian Space Race

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Based on size, scope, and maturity of their space programs, the United States, Russia, China, India, Japan, and Europe are the key global space-faring nations. All are connected in complex relationships; sometimes competitive, sometimes cooperative. Within this set of six, perhaps one of the most complicated sub-relationships exists between India, China, and the United States. Both India and China are part of the so-called BRIC countries—Brazil, Russia, India, and China—speculated as poised to overcome the economies of the already developed countries by 2050, or before. Both are developing extensive space technologies useful for both military and civilian purposes.

Both are also in highly complex relationships with the United States. While some analysts suggest that China is focused on the U.S. space efforts, not India's, that ignores the historical regional rivalry between China and India. Though both countries have significant and relatively mature space programs, India has had to watch China reap prestige that translates into strategic advantage after becoming only the third country, with the United States and Russia, capable of human spaceflight. Recently, however, India has reaped advantages from its strategic relationship with the United States in terms of its ability to develop and obtain modern space technologies, and perhaps catch up to China. How the Chinese and Indian space programs develop will have important implications not only for the United States, but globally.

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