Chandrayaan-3: India must leverage this giant leap for Global South

A year ago, as the world watched with bated breath Vikram lander’s descent onto the lunar surface, Prime Minister Narendra Modi cheered from Johannesburg, where he was attending the Brics summit. Russia’s Luna 25 probe had just become lunar debris, while China had recruited South Africa for its International Lunar Research Station: The stakes were astronomical, blending science with geopolitics.
 

The lander from Chandrayaan-3 not only settled near the lunar south pole in a milestone moment but also catapulted India into the elite league of space powers. Just weeks later, India showcased its growing global influence at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi, championing the Global South and securing a historic seat for the African Union among the world’s leading economies. Earlier, the establishment of the African Space Agency underscored the role India could play in development in the Global South — a term that encompasses countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Oceania that have historically been marginalised in global affairs.
 

For fledgling space organisations in the Global South, Chandrayaan-3’s success is a landmark achievement, rivalling China’s Chang’e 4 mission, which uniquely landed on the moon’s far side. India’s cost-effective end-to-end space model presents a feasible pathway for aspiring space nations, making it a strong competitor against China’s influence in space projects across the Global South. Space exploration has often seemed the domain of a few advanced nations, but India’s success is a tangible testament that strategic vision and investment can lead emerging economies to achieve remarkable technological feats.
Chandrayaan-3’s achievements extend beyond the lunar surface, inspiring scientific collaboration, and highlighting the importance of space exploration for humanity’s progress. 
 

Since that historic day on August 23, 2023, India’s space ambitions have soared. The country’s Aditya L1 spacecraft now orbits the Sun-Earth Lagrange point 1. India, for its first space-flight mission “Gaganyaan”, has announced four IAF pilots, already trained in Russia, and Nasa is preparing two Indian astronauts for an Indo-US space mission slated for late 2024. The Indian space economy is expected to skyrocket from around $8.4 billion in 2023 to $44 billion Indian by 2033.
 

The US and India have pledged to enhance coordination on planetary defence, focusing on protecting Earth and its space assets from asteroids and near-Earth objects.  China has dubbed near-Earth object defence a priority area as this potentially involves nuclear technology. India’s influence in the global space sector is undeniably on the rise, but maintaining this momentum will require a clear vision for space development. While the 2023 space policy is a positive step, it largely focuses on space commercialisation. This highlights the need for building capacities for space resource utilisation. For instance, Chandrayaan-3’s ChaSTE (Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment) data reveals a 50-degree Celsius temperature difference between the moon’s surface and 10 cm below it — a crucial insight for lunar resource use and future habitation plans.
 

India is among 27 signatories to the Artemis Accords, which outline principles for international cooperation in exploring the moon, Mars, comets, and asteroids. These accords, endorsed by several Global South nations,  offer a framework for collaborative space exploration. India’s operational lunar south pole capability, scientific data, and expertise can significantly advance Artemis programme’s goals, potentially providing a first-mover advantage in regions of the moon that may harbour water ice. The upcoming Chandrayaan-4 mission, in collaboration with the Japanese space agency, aims to investigate lunar water-ice resources.
 

Moreover, India’s other space missions and technologies can, too, serve as inspiration for these nations. For example, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle has proven its reliability and versatility, launching numerous satellites for various purposes. Its success may motivate other developing countries to pursue their own launch vehicles. The GSAT-7 communication satellite, launched in 2013, has been pivotal in delivering broadband connectivity to remote areas in India, enhancing education and  healthcare.
 

Countries like Brazil, South Africa, the UAE, Chile, and Colombia are making significant strides in space exploration, developing satellite technology, and seeking international partnerships to boost their capabilities. At the same time, Indian space startups, now around 200, are taking off, securing $126 million funding in 2023 and nearly $11 million year-to-date in 2024. For them, these nations are a host of opportunities.
 

Chandrayaan-3 has been a triumph for the Global South, but India must leverage this achievement to emerge as the preeminent space power among developing economies.