EXPERT Capsule Course
Space Power Course
Space is no longer the preserve of a handful of state agencies. It is now a contested strategic domain, a fast-growing commercial sector, and an arena of governance that India can no longer afford to engage with only on the margins. Megaconstellations are reshaping access to low Earth orbit, navigational satellite systems have become instruments of geopolitical competition, and military space strategies — from anti-satellite tests to space domain awareness — are now central to how nations think about deterrence and warfighting.
For India, the past few years have brought a wave of space reforms, a rapidly growing private space industry, and renewed attention to the country’s military space posture. At the same time, the legal and governance architecture for outer space — anchored in the Outer Space Treaty and a patchwork of national laws — is straining under the weight of new technologies and new actors.
The Space Power Course: Advancing India’s Interests in the Orbits and Beyond is a four-week introductory programme designed to give participants a structured and accessible understanding of these emerging issues. It is aimed at government officials, members of the armed forces, space entrepreneurs, lawyers, academics, policy professionals, and anyone seriously interested in the politics and policy of outer space.
Delivered online through live webinars on Saturdays, with optional mid-week Wednesday evening practitioner sessions, the course combines academic foundations with practitioner perspectives across eight core modules and three Practitioner Series sessions.
Executive Capsule
| FORMAT | 4 weeks · online |
| CADENCE | Saturdays · optional Wed evening sessions · ~5 hrs/week |
| APPLY BY | 25 July 2026 |
| FEE | ₹12,000 + 18% GST |
| PARTNER | Indian Space Association (ISpA) |
How it works
Eight modules
Covering space power, India's reforms, the Outer Space Treaty, megaconstellations, space law, and the military space strategies of India and China.
Live Saturday webinars
Two 90-minute sessions every Saturday with academic faculty and practitioners.
Four weeks
A compact format from 1 to 29 August 2026, designed for working professionals.
Practitioner series
Three optional Wednesday evening sessions with practitioners on PNT systems, space situational awareness, and space domain governance.
~5 hours per week
Including live sessions, readings, and preparation. No prior technical background required.
Certificate
Certificate of Achievement from the Takshashila Institution on successful completion.
Curriculum
Foundations & India's Space Reforms
A grounding in the conceptual foundations of space power, followed by an examination of India's recent reform agenda — from the creation of IN-SPACe to the entry of private actors into a sector long dominated by ISRO.
SESSIONS- SP.01Introduction to Space Power
What does "space power" mean, and how does it sit alongside more familiar categories of national power? An introduction to the strategic, commercial, and governance dimensions of outer space. - SP.02Space Reforms in India
Tracing India's recent space sector reforms — the role of IN-SPACe, the new Space Policy, and what these changes mean for ISRO, NewSpace startups, and the wider ecosystem.
Treaty Law & the Commercial Space Sector
The legal scaffolding of outer space activity, and the rapidly evolving commercial sector operating within (and at the edges of) it.
SESSIONS- SP.03Nuances of the Outer Space Treaty
The architecture, ambiguities, and contemporary stress points of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and its associated instruments. - SP.04State of the Commercial Space Sector
The business of space today — launch, satellites, downstream applications, and the structural features of the global NewSpace economy, with a focus on India's place within it.
Megaconstellations & Power Politics
How large constellations of satellites are reshaping the economics, politics, and law of low Earth orbit — and how space law is increasingly entangled with great power competition.
SESSIONS- SP.05The Era of the Megaconstellations
The rise of large-scale satellite constellations, their implications for spectrum, orbital congestion, and access — and what this means for sovereign capability. - SP.06Space Law and Power Politics
How states are using, contesting, and reinterpreting space law to advance strategic interests, and where the gaps in the current governance regime lie.
Military Space Strategies
A comparative look at how India and China are organising for warfighting in and through space, and the implications for deterrence and crisis stability.
SESSIONS- SP.07India's Military Space Strategy
India's defence space organisation, doctrine, and capability development — including the Defence Space Agency, anti-satellite capabilities, and space-enabled operations. - SP.08China's Space Strategy
China's civil-military space programme, the Aerospace Force, counterspace capabilities, and what they imply for India and the Indo-Pacific.
Practitioner Series · Three Mid-Week Sessions
Optional Wednesday evening sessions with practitioners working at the intersection of space technology, policy, and operations.
- PS.01Geopolitics of Navigational Satellite Systems
GPS, Galileo, BeiDou, GLONASS, and NavIC — how PNT systems have become instruments of strategic autonomy and competition. - PS.02Space Situational Awareness Pathways
Tracking objects in orbit: the sensors, data flows, and institutional arrangements that underpin space situational awareness. - PS.03Governance Challenges to Space Domain Awareness
The political and legal challenges of sharing, withholding, and acting on space domain awareness data across civil, commercial, and military users.
Application process
and fees
Eligibility
Open to Indian nationals with an undergraduate degree in any discipline. A Statement of Purpose is required as part of the application. No prior knowledge of space, science, or law is necessary.
Application
The Academic Committee will review the application form. Please take time to reflect on why you want to take this course and how you plan to apply the learning. The Committee gives significant weight to this response. Applications close on 25 July 2026.
Scholarships
A concessional fee of ₹10,000 + GST is available for university students, Takshashila alumni, and serving members of the Indian armed forces. Proof of eligibility must be submitted with the application.
Questions
Have questions about eligibility, schedule, or fees? Write to us at capsulecourses@takshashila.org.in
August 2026 Calendar
Four weeks of Saturday webinars plus optional Wednesday evening practitioner sessions. Apply by 25 July.
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