A symptom of a capitalist economy is the privatisation of knowledge. Privatisation of education, privatisation of access to knowledge, and privatisation of research. Increasingly, Indian space research has been shifted from the public realm and given into the hands of private entities. Once research and knowledge is controlled by the nexus of bourgeois systems of knowledge and imperialism, it will inevitably be used as a tool to make profits for the ruling class. Through this, science becomes alienated from its purpose of emancipating humanity from the clutches of ignorance, and in turn it becomes a tool for the exploitation of the people.
As the American imperialists and its allies are seeping through all of the global south, Indian markets have been an avenue for capitalists like Elon Musk to thrive. As a way of globalizing the market of satellite communication, Musk’s company SpaceX has signed deals with both Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel to bring starlink internet service to India. India was also dependent on SpaceX to launch its latest communication satellite GSAT-N2, as India lacks rockets that can launch satellites which weigh more than 4000 kg. ISRO chairman, Dr. Somnath has also said that Elon Musk is frequently part of the internal discussions that happen inside the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). In an era where data is used as a tool of exploitation all around the world, through surveillance capitalism which will result in discrimination and labour exploitation, developing Starlink into a global communication network would mean that Musk’s company will have access to data of almost all the people around the world. This can also be used as a tool for looting of third world countries by imperialist nations.
If we see the examples, on one side, Dalits are dying doing manual scavenging and on the other side, billionaires are promoting space tourism. Historically, science has been a tool used by the ruling class for their own profits. Technological development in the era of capitalism has been used as a tool of exploitation of the working class. Thus, the development that comes with the advent of new technology has always served the ruling class.
