Still on the Umbilical

No. 1 · How states build space launch capacity, why India remains dependent on foreign rockets, and what assured access demands

Aug 28 • Ashwin Prasad Rao

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May 2026

Starlink and Risks for India

An assessment of the risks posed by Starlink and recommendations for India

May 12 • Ashwin Prasad Rao

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April 2026

India's World • NavIC Is Not Dead, But It Is in Danger

NavIC is now down to three functioning satellites, below the minimum of four needed for accurate positioning.

Apr 16 • Ashwin Prasad Rao

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The Hindu Book Chapter • ISRO made frugal engineering famous. Now India must outgrow it

The country must move beyond this ‘frugal’ identity to embrace the high-risk investments required for the next generation of space exploration.

Apr 15 • Ashwin Prasad Rao

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Deccan Herald • Artemis and the great Moon race

Extending geopolitical contests to the Moon.

Apr 13 • Ashwin Prasad Rao

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February 2026

Anatomy of India's 2026-27 Space Budget

Moving past the headline numbers to address the absorption capacity problem that defines India's space programme.

Feb 8 • Ashwin Prasad Rao

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January 2026

Thinking about India's options amid global volatility

The case for sectoral plurilateralism

Jan 28 • Ashwin Prasad Rao

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The Print • How ISRO Can Restore Confidence After Recent PSLV Launch Failures

Recent setbacks are anomalies for a rocket perfected over three decades. ISRO can clear this hurdle by focusing on transparency and a decisive…

Jan 21 • Ashwin Prasad Rao

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August 2025

The Hindu • How does satellite internet work? | Explained

In a world where the technologies we use change rapidly and change things significantly, it becomes important to constantly educate ourselves about what…

Aug 13, 2025 • Ashwin Prasad Rao

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June 2025

Indian Express • As Axiom-4 and Shubhanshu Shukla lift off, so does India

The excitement and chatter around the mission will help build popular support for space exploration in India

Jun 25, 2025 • Ashwin Prasad Rao

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Decypher Journal • (Em)Powered? Authority in a Fragmented World

Is Space the Final Frontier?

Jun 24, 2025 • Ashwin Prasad Rao

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May 2025

The Takshashila Institution • AI Diffusion Framework Rescinded

What it means for India and the world

May 21, 2025 • Ashwin Prasad Rao

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