Space Technology: A Strategic Imperative

Pakistan’s national security depends on it

 By Zukhraf Khan

‘The control of space means control of the world.’ said US President Lyndon B. Johnson. In contemporary times, space has emerged as the newest strategic domain encompassing all other domains, including land, sea, air, and cyberspace. In the 21^st Century, space technology is seen not as a luxury but as a matter of national security.

Hence, a space technology race has started among superpowers, who are investing heavily in it. China is leading the investment in space technology, approximately $58 billion, while the US is investing around $40 billion. For Pakistan, space technology has become essential to its national security across domains, such as border monitoring, agriculture, and telecommunication and internet access.

Space technology can help countries protect their borders in better and smarter ways. In the past, border security mainly depended on fences, patrol officers, and security cameras. Contemporary satellites make it easier to watch large border areas from space. Pakistan should consider space technology a strategic imperative because it strengthens national security and helps protect its long and challenging borders.

At length, Pakistan must re-shift its focus from traditional investment and should invest more in Space technology, which not only provides border security but also helps in other imperatives that can produce stark growth for Pakistan, like agriculture, telecommunication, and education. A country's future will be decided in space, as it is the fifth domain of war, and it further becomes more pivotal for Pakistan to balance against its enemy country, India, which is persistently making more investments in its Space programme

Satellite imagery allows authorities to monitor remote land and coastal areas that are difficult to patrol chronically. This not only helps to detect illegal border crossings but also smuggling and other security threats more quickly, as Pakistan is already facing these persistent problems of traditional and non-traditional security issues. Moreover, to improve border management, space technology reduces dependence on continuous ground patrols and provides timely information for planning and emergency response. Therefore, investing in space technology is strategically important for Pakistan because it enhances border security, strengthens national defence, supports informed decision-making, and contributes to overall national stability and sovereignty.

Agriculture remains one of the key pillars of Pakistan’s economy, which contributes 24 percent to its GDP and employs around 38 percent of the country’s workforce, making it the largest source of employment. Space technology is a vital tool for improving the productivity of agriculture and food security. Satellites provide accurate information about soil moisture, crop health, rainfall, drought, and weather conditions, which helps farmers to make better decisions about irrigation, planting, and harvesting. This is especially imperative for Pakistan’s agriculture, where water shortages, climate change, floods, and droughts often affect agricultural production. Remote sensing and geospatial technologies allow government agencies to monitor crops, estimate yields, and enable timely support for farmers.

Satellite-based weather forecasting also helps reduce losses by providing early warnings of extreme weather events. Moreover, the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) which supports precision farming by improving the efficient use of seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, fuel, and water, reducing costs while increasing crop yields. By adopting space technology in agriculture, Pakistan can not only strengthen food security, but also improve farmer incomes, manage natural resources more effectively, and support sustainable agricultural development and long-term economic growth.

Moreover, Pakistan, which is facing persistent challenges of connectivity, especially in its local and rural areas, is extremely perilous for Pakistan’s growth. Hence, Space technology can be a game-changer for Pakistan regarding connectivity and the internet problem. Space technology can significantly improve telecommunications and internet access in Pakistan, especially in remote and underserved areas. Satellite internet can provide high-speed connectivity to villages, mountainous regions, and other places where installing fiber-optic cables or cellular towers is difficult and expensive. Moreover, it enables schools, hospitals, and government offices to access reliable internet services while supporting online education, telemedicine, and digital banking.

Communication satellites further enhance mobile network coverage by extending connectivity to remote locations and providing backhaul links that connect isolated cell towers to the national network. Furthermore, satellite internet helps bridge the digital divide by giving rural communities equal access to educational resources, online government services, remote employment opportunities, e-commerce, and digital payment systems.

Space technology also supports the development of future 5G networks by connecting remote base stations, increasing network reliability, and expanding coverage in areas with limited traditional communication infrastructure, ensuring more inclusive and resilient digital connectivity across Pakistan.

In addition, critics argue that Pakistan should focus more on health and education rather than space technology. Pakistan is chronically facing issues of better health facilities, especially in remote areas. For example, health issues can be seen as Pakistan remains number one in HIV and AIDS cases as per the WHO report. Furthermore, the education system of Pakistan also needs a robust policy regarding education, as around 25million students are unable to receive their basic education. Modernization comes when the population is progressing, and education and health remain the key pillars for modernity; if these pillars are missing, then Pakistan will not achieve its Space technology advancement.

At length, Pakistan must re-shift its focus from traditional investment and should invest more in Space technology, which not only provides border security but also helps in other imperatives that can produce stark growth for Pakistan, like agriculture, telecommunication, and education. A country's future will be decided in space, as it is the fifth domain of war, and it further becomes more pivotal for Pakistan to balance against its enemy country, India, which is persistently making more investments in its Space programme. 

The writer is a freelance columnist