PM announces Mission Shakti as India becomes 4th nation to show prowess
India on Wednesday achieved a rare feat when its missile successfully shot down a live satellite in space, displaying to the world its anti-satellite missile (A-SAT) capability. With this, India has become the fourth country to acquire such a specialised and modern capability after the US, Russia and China.
While the Opposition parties have congratulated the scientists of the DRDO for the successful test, they accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of violating model code of conduct by using the occasion to divert attention from issues troubling the BJP in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls.
The Prime Minister announced the successful test in an unprecedented address to the nation, saying, “It shows the remarkable dexterity of India’s outstanding scientists and the success of our space programme.”
He also said, “India can now defend itself in space, and not just on land, water, and air, after the success of Mission Shakti.”
In his address to the nation, Modi said, “In the journey of every nation there are moments that bring utmost pride and have a historic impact on generations to come. One such moment is today. India has successfully tested the Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile.”
He, however, clarified the test was not directed against any country and the satellite was a pre-determined target orbiting at an altitude of 300 km adding India does not breach any international laws or treaties.
Mission Shakti was aimed at strengthening India’s overall security, he said, adding it was “a highly complex one, conducted at extremely high speed with remarkable precision. It shows the remarkable dexterity of India’s outstanding scientists and the success of our space programme,” Modi said. “Shooting down a low earth orbit satellite is a rare achievement for the country,” he said.
The “entire effort is indigenous. India’s stands tall as a space power. It will make India stronger, even more secure and will further peace and harmony,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister had advertised his address to the nation on Twitter, calling it an important message.
“Do watch the address on television, radio or social media,” he said, setting off speculation across the country on what the topic was likely to be. Earlier in the day, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) had met at the Prime Minister’s residence.
The DRDO later said the test demonstrated the nation’s capability to defend its assets in outer space. It is a vindication of the strength and robust nature of DRDO’s programmes adding the test has once again proven the capability of indigenous weapon systems.
“India’s anti-satellite missile test is a reflection of the country’s growing capability to develop critical technology and it will act as a good deterrence, DRDO Chairman G Satheesh Reddy said Wednesday. Reddy said clearance for the project was given over two years back.
Reddy said the technology used for the test has been completely developed indigenously. The shooting down of the satellite with a missile reflected that “we have matured to develop technology which could achieve accuracy in terms of centimeters”.
The Government also tried to allay apprehensions about weaponisation of outer space and said it has no intention of entering into an arms race in outer space. It was also mentioned that the nation has always maintained that space must be used only for peaceful purposes and support international efforts to reinforce the safety and security of space based assets.
Also, India is a party to all the major international treaties relating to Outer Space and already implements a number of Transparency and Confidence Building Measures(TCBMs) - including registering space objects with the UN register, prelaunch notifications, measures in harmony with the UN Space Mitigation Guidelines, participation in Inter Agency Space Debris Coordination (IADC) activities with regard to space debris management, undertaking SOPA (Space Object Proximity Awareness and COLA (Collision Avoidance) Analysis and numerous international cooperation activities, including hosting the UN affiliated Centre for Space and Science Technology Education in Asia and Pacific. India has been participating in all sessions of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.
India supports the substantive consideration of the issue of Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS) in the Conference on Disarmament where it has been on the agenda since 1982.