NEW DELHI: India has become the fourth nation in the world after United States, China and Russia to demonstrate anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a satellite.
On March 27, 2019 India conducted Mission Shakti, an anti-satellite missile test, from the Dr A.P.J Abdul Kalam Islandlaunch complex. This was a technological mission carried out by DRDO.
PM Narendra Modi made the announcement in a televised address soon after the tests were successfully conducted. PM Modi said that the achievement will have a historic impact on generations to come.
India has successfully tested the Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile. Congratulations to everyone on the success of #MissionShakti.Mission Shakti has ensured that India secures a place in the space power league by shooting down the satellite which was orbiting at an altitude of 300 km.
India’s space programme is a critical backbone of India’s security, economic and social infrastructure, a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs said.
The DRDO, in February 2010, had announced that India was developing necessary technology to produce a weapon to destroy enemy satellites in space.
India has for the first time tested and successfully demonstrated its capability to intercept a satellite and shoot it down in space based on complete indigenous technology.
Congress President Rahul Gandhi: “Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day.”
Former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair praised Modi for taking the initiative and also lauded his political will and courage to demonstrate to the whole world that he would do it.
G Madhavan Nair, who headed the Indian Space Research Organisation, Space Commission, and was Secretary in the Department of Space from 2003 to 2009, had joined the BJP in 2018.
