Ajey Lele

Group Captain (Dr) Ajey Lele (Retd.) is the Deputy Director General, MP-IDSA. Earlier, he was a Senior Fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses and headed its Centre on Strategic Technologies. He started his professional career as an officer in the Indian Air Force in 1987 and took early retirement from the service to pursue his academic interests. He has a Masters degree in Physics from Pune University, and Masters and MPhil degrees in Defence and Strategic Studies from Madras University. He has done his doctorate from the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. His specific areas of research include issues related to Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), Space Security and Strategic Technologies. He has contributed articles to various national and international journals, websites and newspapers. He has authored ten books and has also been an editor for seven books. He is a recipient of the K. Subrahmanyam Award (2013) which is conferred for outstanding contribution in the area of strategic and security studies.


Deputy Director General

Publication

Agnikul Showcased more than ‘Rocket Science

Deputy Director General, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt Ajey Lele’s article ‘Agnikul showcased more than ‘rocket science’ has been published in Deccan Herald on 07 June 2024.

With the launch, Agnikul became only the second Indian private company to do a sub-orbital space launch, after Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace, which launched its Vikram-S rocket in November 2022, says Gp Capt Lele.

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Normandy Landings: Correct Weather Forecast saved the Day

Deputy Director General, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt Ajey Lele’s article ‘Normandy Landings: Correct Weather Forecast saved the Day’ has been published in Financial Express on 06 June 2024.

June 6, 2024, will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings along the Normandy coast during World War II, says Gp Capt Lele.

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The views expressed by the author are personal and do not in any way reflect the views of MP-IDSA or the Government of India.

Power Politics Transcends Space Security

Deputy Director General, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt Ajey Lele’s article ‘Power politics transcends space security’ has been published in ‘The Space Review’ on 03 June 2024.

The need of the hour is to have a universally acceptable, verifiable, and multilaterally negotiated legally binding instrument for space security. This topic is too important to be left to the Americans, Russians, and Chinese.

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The views expressed by the author are personal and do not in any way reflect the views of MP-IDSA or the Government of India.

50 years of Pokhran-I

Deputy Director General, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt Ajey Lele’s article ‘50 years of Pokhran-I’ has been published in Taaza Khabar News on 23 May 2024.

Today, while celebrating the five decades of India’s entry into the field of nuclear weaponry, it is important not to lose the site of the efforts of the scientific community towards the conduct of Pokhran-I, says Gp Capt Lele.

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The views expressed are personal and do not necessarily reflect those of the Institute.

Chang’e 6 Mission: China Tightens Grip on The ‘Global’ Moon Quest

Deputy Director General, Manohar Parrikar IDSA. Gp Capt (Dr) Ajey Lele’s opinion piece ‘Chang'e 6 Mission: China Tightens Grip on The ‘Global’ Moon Quest’ has been published ‘The Wire’ on 07 May 2024.

At present, India and Japan are planning for a sample return mission, while China has already launched its second such mission. One of the important reasons behind China’s success in the moon domain could be their belief in getting the ‘basics’ right, says Gp Capt Lele.

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The views expressed are personal and do not necessarily reflect those of the Institute.

Iran, Israel, and military gambling

Deputy Director General, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt (Dr) Ajey Lele’s opinion piece ‘Iran, Israel, and military gambling’ has been published in Taazakhabarnews.com on 21 April 2024.

All in all, it appears that both Iran and Israel are unnecessarily taking calculated risks and any mishap could lead to a full-scale war. It is important for the powers like the US to play a mediatory role and de-escalate tensions in the region, says Gp Capt (Dr) Lele.

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ISRO Tests Reusable Launch Vehicle For Sustainable Space Exploration

Deputy Director General, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt (Dr) Ajey Lele’s article ‘ISRO Tests Reusable Launch Vehicle For Sustainable Space Exploration’ was published by the Society for the Study of Peace and Conflict (SSPC) on 29 March 2024.

The development of India's Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) program as a dual-use initiative is not just strategic but essential. It ensures that India remains at the vanguard of space technology, capable of leveraging its advancements for both civilian and defense purposes, thereby safeguarding its interests in the rapidly evolving arena of space exploration and security, says Gp Capt Lele.

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MIRV technology – Modernizing India’s Nuclear Arsenal

Deputy Director General, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt (Dr) Ajey V Lele’s article ‘MIRV technology – modernizing India’s nuclear arsenal’ has been published in Taaza Khabar News on 12 March 2024.

India has started focussing on miniaturising technologies for nuclear weapons. Is India also interested in developing tactical nuclear weapons? No definitive conclusions could be drawn in this regard, however India must be monitoring the progress of Pakistan’s tactical nuclear weapons program, says Gp Capt (Dr) Lele.

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New FDI Policy to Propel Indian Space Sector to Greater Heights

Consultant, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Gp Capt Ajey Lele’s article ‘New FDI Policy to Propel Indian Space Sector to Greater Heights’ has been published in Geo Spatial World on 28 February 2024.

There is great potential within the Indian industry and some of them are expected to offer a launch facility in the near future. In the coming future, after the operationalization of its Gaganyaan program, India should be able to exploit this technology for commercial purposes too, says Gp Capt Lele.

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