Russia, and more recently China, likewise essayed similar platitudes. The 1967 Outer Space Treaty prohibits nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction in orbit, but does not ban conventional weapons.

The legal door was therefore never quite as firmly shut as the diplomatic rhetoric suggested. So the compact has now been gently broken, with the US announcement raising a paradox worthy of a Cold War cartoon: everybody says they want to prevent a space arms race, while donning running shoes.

China reacted quickly to the development on Tuesday, urging Washington to stop “preparing for war” in outer space and warning against turning the heavens into a battlefield or triggering a new arms race. Russia likewise called for space to remain free of weapons and pressed the case for preventing its militarisation.

Both countries have substantial counterspace programs of their own. China has demonstrated direct-ascent anti-satellite technology and has developed increasingly sophisticated satellites capable of rendezvous and proximity operations.

Russia remains a formidable counterspace power, particularly in electronic warfare, proximity operations and anti-satellite technology, although its broader space program has suffered from economic pressures, isolation and declining launch activity. India is a more distant and quiet fourth entrant to the space club, having announced its arrival in the counterspace arena in March 2019 with Mission Shakti, when it destroyed an Indian satellite in low-Earth orbit with a hit-to-kill interceptor.

Having demonstrated a credible Anti-Satellite (ASAT) capability, it is advancing rapidly in launch, docking, surveillance and space situational awareness, but its military space architecture remains substantially smaller. New Delhi said at that time the ASAT test demonstrated the country's ability to defend its space assets.

Since then, India's emphasis has increasingly included space situational awareness, satellite protection and sophisticated orbital operations rather than simply blowing things up. Its 2025 SpaDeX mission demonstrated autonomous docking and undocking – a technology with peaceful applications such as satellite servicing but obvious future military utility as well.

DRDO lists work involving space-based lasers, satellite jamming, electronic intelligence, rendezvous and proximity operations and space-based surveillance, moving the country toward a more sophisticated space-security architecture, while continuing to advocate negotiations to prevent an arms race in outer space. So although Russia remains highly capable in selected counterspace areas and China is the fastest-rising challenger, with India somewhere in the periphery, the US remains the most comprehensive space power.

It has unmatched breadth: military satellites, intelligence, navigation, missile warning, launch capacity, enormous commercial infrastructure and an increasingly resilient constellation architecture. Its commercial space sector gives Washington another advantage: it can replenish and augment military capabilities through private companies.

The immediate consequence of the American announcement though may well be psychological rather than kinetic. Some experts believe Monday’s disclosure was a deliberate attempt to seize the technological high ground after recent setbacks in terms of advances made by China and Russia in weapons development.

But Beijing and Moscow are eventually expected to point to Washington's own admission when justifying further counterspace investments, heralding the arrival of another arms race – this time in the skies.

5 arrested for extortion campaign. (Photo credit: X) Five Indian-origin men have been arrested and charged in Canada in connection with an alleged extortion cam...