India is again making headlines by successfully putting its Mars orbiter into earth’s orbit on November 11, where it prepares for its expedition towards the red planet. Densely populated and poverty-stricken, India is draining its strength to insert itself into space high-tech countries. Is it considerate to prioritize the Mars exploration while hundreds millions of Indian people are living under poverty line? To explore Mars at the present stage, as far as I am concerned, is an ill-considered priority. It not only wastes money which can be used for infrastructure construction, but it is a hasty mindlessness to jump directly to exploration, leaving out manned space mission.

Mars exploration makes no sense when most Indian people are suffering from poverty and poor living environment. India is estimated to have 1/3 of the world’s poor. A 2010 World Bank report showed that 32.7% of the total Indian people fell below the international poverty line of US$ 1.25 per day while 68.7% lives on less than US$ 2 per day. In spite of the dire domestic situation, Indian government spent more than £55m on lunar mission in 2008. Now the government has spent a further £60m to go to Mars. The contrast being sharp, unjustifiable is the Indian government’s foolishness to ignore the solid urgency and to pursue its illusory success in space exploration, significant indeed, but senseless at the present stage.

Mars exploration is doomed when India leaves out manned mission and hastens to probe the red planet. Nair, the former Chairman of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and Secretary in the Department of Space, argued that for India, the manned mission is the "immediate priority". Without this key step, India is lagging behind America, Russia and China, who have successfully sent human into space. The lack of experience in the human space flight program is tremendous obstacle and challenge for Indian deep-space exploration.

As an emerging market, India is developing at a stunning speed. It is fair enough that it strives for success in space race and prepare for the future aim as a world major power. However, what is the point in all these when the people are tortured by the lack of basic needs for living, when the money for the space project can be better utilized, when India haven’t any experience in manned space mission, when the result is a likely failure? Indian Mars exploration, therefore, is an ill-considered priority.