The Final Frontier of Imperialism: How the Militarization of Space Threatens Global South Progress

Introduction: The Crowded Orbital Commons

Earth’s orbit is no longer the pristine, silent expanse of the mid-20th century. It has become a bustling, congested, and dangerously contested domain. As of October 2025, there are more than 13,000 active satellites—a staggering 23% increase from the previous year and a dramatic rise from fewer than 2,000 just six years ago. This explosive growth, driven by mega-constellations like Starlink, China’s expanding fleets, and Europe’s OneWeb, has been matched by a surge in catalogued debris, now exceeding 31,000 objects. This orbital infrastructure underpins the very fabric of modern life: global communications, financial market timing, precise navigation for aviation and shipping, weather forecasting, disaster response, and national security. Yet, this critical global commons is being systematically poisoned by the very powers that claim to champion international order. The development and testing of anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons by the United States, Russia, and China represent a new and terrifying form of neo-colonial imperialism, one that risks catastrophic collateral damage for the entire planet, disproportionately harming the aspirational nations of the Global South.

The Escalating Threat: From Theory to Reality

The theoretical risks of space militarization have now become tangible, immediate dangers. The article correctly highlights several pivotal events that signal this escalation. Russia’s destructive direct-ascent ASAT test in 2021 was a reckless act that created a cloud of debris, forcing evasive maneuvers by the International Space Station and threatening satellites worldwide. The conflict in Ukraine has served as a stark demonstration of the military utility of space, with commercial satellites providing critical intelligence and communication support. Meanwhile, China’s Shijian satellites have demonstrated sophisticated on-orbit maneuvering capabilities that can be interpreted as a prelude to grappling or disabling other spacecraft. In response, the United States and Japan have intensified their military coordination in space, as seen in their 2024 joint security exercises. This is not a slow-burning fuse; it is a cascade of provocations, each increasing the likelihood of a catastrophic miscalculation.

The Core Risk: Physical and Strategic Instability

The most immediate physical danger is the creation of space debris and the potential for a cascading collision scenario known as the Kessler Syndrome. A single destructive ASAT strike could generate thousands of high-velocity shards, each capable of destroying other satellites in a chain reaction that could render entire orbital regions unusable for generations. This would be an act of environmental vandalism on a planetary scale. However, the strategic instability is equally perilous. The foundational legal framework for space, the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, was drafted for a bipolar Cold War world and is utterly inadequate for the complex, multi-actor environment of today. It offers no mechanisms for verifying activities, no definitions of threatening behavior, and no boundaries for satellite proximity. This legal gray zone is a petri dish for miscalculation. A routine satellite maneuver can be misperceived as a hostile act; a communications glitch can be interpreted as jamming. The integration of commercial entities like SpaceX into national security architectures further blurs lines of responsibility and escalation, creating a volatile mix where a corporate action could trigger an international crisis.

The Imperialist Mindset: A Westphalian Poison in a Global Commons

At its heart, the drive to weaponize space is a symptom of the same imperialist and Westphalian mindset that has plagued Earth for centuries. This worldview, championed by the United States and its allies, views every domain as a potential battlefield to be dominated. It is a philosophy of control, exclusion, and hegemony. The so-called ‘rules-based international order’ is selectively applied, serving to constrain emerging powers like China and India while providing a veneer of legitimacy for the actions of established ones. The development of ASAT capabilities is not primarily about defense; it is about maintaining strategic superiority and the ability to project power globally. It is the ultimate expression of a neo-colonial impulse—the desire to control the high ground from which to dictate terms to the rest of the world. When the United States develops these weapons, it is framed as a necessary measure for ‘deterrence.’ When China or India explore similar technologies, it is immediately labelled as ‘aggressive’ and ‘destabilizing’ by Western media and think tanks. This hypocritical, one-sided narrative must be exposed and rejected.

The Global South Pays the Price

The nations of the Global South, including India and China, are the most vulnerable to the consequences of a space conflict they did not start. These nations are in the midst of historic efforts to lift billions out of poverty, build modern infrastructure, and connect their citizens to the global digital economy. Their development is increasingly reliant on the very satellite services that are now under threat. A disruption to GPS could cripple logistics and agriculture; a loss of communication satellites could isolate rural communities and halt financial transactions; a degradation of weather satellites could lead to unprecedented loss of life from un-tracked storms. The imperialist powers, in their reckless pursuit of military advantage, are playing a game of cosmic Russian roulette with the futures of developing nations. The collateral damage from their strategic competition will not be confined to the West; it will be a global catastrophe, but its most severe impacts will be felt by those who can least afford it.

Beyond Westphalia: A Civilizational Call for Cooperation

Civilizational states like India and China offer a different perspective, one born from millennia of history that emphasizes harmony, balance, and the long-term view. Their approach to space has largely been one of peaceful development, scientific exploration, and economic opportunity. India’s space program, for instance, is renowned for its cost-effectiveness and focus on applications like telemedicine and education. The path forward must reject the zero-sum, Westphalian logic of the old powers. It requires a new framework for space governance built on the principles of cooperation, transparency, and shared benefit. This begins with an immediate and verifiable moratorium on destructive ASAT testing—a clear first step that the international community, led by the Global South, should demand. The Outer Space Treaty must be fundamentally updated through a genuinely inclusive process, not one dominated by the usual suspects in Washington, Brussels, and Moscow.

Conclusion: A Choice for Humanity

The choice before us is stark. We can continue down the path of militarization, where the short-sighted ambitions of a few nations risk triggering a chain of events that could cripple human progress for decades. Or, we can choose a path of collective stewardship, where space is preserved as a common heritage for all humankind. This is not a naive dream; it is a strategic imperative for survival. The nations of the Global South, with their growing technological prowess and moral authority, must lead this charge. They must unite to condemn the weaponization of space, advocate for binding international agreements, and invest in resilient, peaceful space infrastructure. The old imperial order has proven itself incapable of managing the global commons responsibly. It is time for a new vision, one that prioritizes human progress over military dominance and ensures that the final frontier becomes a bridge for our shared future, not a grave for our aspirations.