Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced India’s first anti-satellite weapon test, Mission Shakti. A team of scientists from ISRO were able to accomplish this feat within a span of 3 minutes, PM Modi said, adding this was a ‘proud moment’ for Indians. Mission Shakti has ensured that India secures a place in the 'space power league'.
PM Modi had earlier tweeted that he would address the nation shortly with a very important message. Modi's address had come with just two weeks left for the commencement of the general elections.
Opposition reacts to Mission Shakti
Congratulating the government and the scientists at ISRO for 'Mission Shakti', the Congress said, "We congratulate ISRO and the government on the latest achievement for India. The Indian Space Programme established in 1961 by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru & the Indian Space Research Organisation set up under Smt. Indira Gandhi has always made India proud with its ground-breaking achievements."
TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu said, "A proud moment for India as we enter our name as an elite space power today. Our scientists have achieved a great feat by carrying out Mission Shakti in under three minutes. Congratulating ISRO and DRDO India for this remarkable accomplishment."
Congress leader Ahmed Patel credited former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh for the initiating the anti-satellite programme in UPA-II: "The UPA government had initiated the ASAT program which has reached fruition today. I congratulate our space scientists & the visionary leadership of Dr Manmohan Singh."
Pakistan issued a call against military threats in outer space on Wednesday, hours after India said it had shot down one of its own satellites in a demonstration of its growing power in space, a Reuters report said.
monthly limit of free stories.
with an Express account.
“Space is the common heritage of mankind and every nation has the responsibility to avoid actions which can lead to the militarization of this arena,” Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
“We hope that countries which have in the past strongly condemned demonstration of similar capabilities by others will be prepared to work towards developing international instruments to prevent military threats relating to outer space,” it said, without mentioning India by name.
“Boasting of such capabilities is reminiscent of Don Quixote’s tilting against windmills,” it said, in a reference to the delusional hero of the 17th-century Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes.
Former DRDO chief Dr VK Saraswat on Wednesday said that presentations regarding anti-satellite missile were made to the then National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon but the UPA government didn't give a positive response. "We made presentations to National Security Adviser andNational Security Council, when such discussions were held, they were heard by all concerned, unfortunately, we didn't get positive response," he said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday alleged that PM Modi violated the Model Code by announcing the completion of DRDO's Mission Shakti and taking credit for the operation, just days ahead of the polls.
The Election Commission of India has just concluded what is being described as an “internal consultation” on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation on India successfully testing an anti-satellite missile. Senior officials said comments from the government would soon be sought on the circumstances and urgency for the address.
Election Commission officials told The Indian Express that what is already under examination by them are the precedents of such a national address by the Prime Minister shortly before the Lok Sabha polls and whether “national security” could be invoked by the ruling NDA for the urgency of the address. READ FULL STORY
Union Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday tore into the Opposition over Mission Shakti, saying that they are looking at everything from election perspective. "Here we are talking about national security and on the other side, the opposition parties are saying why it was not done after the election," he said during a press conference. Before Jaitley, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also addressed the nation to announced that India has successfully tested an anti-satellite missile, the fourth country in the world to do so.
Senior BJP Leader Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday said India's nuclear programme is continuing programme. He was speaking at a press conference on Mission Shakti. "We urge the Opposition not to make 'clerical objections'", he said. He said it is a matter of national security and therefore the Opposition must not object to it as an election stunt.
WATCH: UNION FINANCE MINISTER ARUN JAITLEY ADDRESSING A PC
Mayawati on PM's address about Mission Shakti: "PM Modi doing politics on matter for electoral gains. Election Commission should take serious cognisance."
Rahul Gandhi: "Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day."
Congress leader Ahmed Patel credited former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh for the initiating the anti-satellite programme in UPA-II: "The UPA government had initiated the ASAT program which has reached fruition today. I congratulate our space scientists & the visionary leadership of Dr Manmohan Singh."
Rajyavardhan Rathore: The successful execution of Mission Shakti is a proud, powerful, historical moment for us. Under the visionary leadership of PM Narendra Modi ji, today we have become a formidable space power with proven Anti-Satellite Missile capability. Many congrats DRDO and all Indians!
Suresh Prabhu: "Massive Space Leap for India. Kudos to DRDO scientists for this huge technological advancement. Arrival of India as space super power... India only 4th Country after US, Russia and China to acquire anti-satellite missile capability."
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of diverting the attention from issues at ground by getting himself an hour of free TV. "Today Narendra Modi got himself an hour of free TV and divert nation's attention away from issues on ground — Unemployment, rural crisis & women security — by pointing at the sky. Congratulations DRDO and ISRO — this success belongs to you. Thank you for making India safer," Yadav said.
Chandrababu Naidu: "A proud moment for India as we enter our name as an elite space power today. Our scientists have achieved a great feat by carrying out Mission Shakti in under three minutes. Congratulating ISRO and DRDO India for this remarkable accomplishment."
Ravi Shankar Prasad: It's a historic day, India has emerged as a big space power for which all the scientists and the Prime Minister, in particular, deserve full praise. I compliment the scientists and the Prime Minister.
Last year, the US had expressed its concern over the threat to the US and allied satellites from China and Russia, saying that both the countries have nondestructive and destructive counter-space weapons available for use during a potential future conflict.
A report titled the '2018 Worldwide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community', which was released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, had stated that the "if a future conflict were to occur involving Russia or China, either country would justify attacks against US and allied satellites as necessary to offset any perceived US military advantage derived from military, civil or commercial space systems", a report published in spacenews.com stated.
Congratulating the government and the scientists at ISRO for 'Mission Shakti', the Congress said, "We congratulate ISRO and the government on the latest achievement for India. The Indian Space Programme established in 1961 by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru & the Indian Space Research Organisation set up under Smt. Indira Gandhi has always made India proud with its ground-breaking achievements."
The US first tested ASAT technology in 1958, the USSR followed in 1964 and China in 2007. In 2015, Russia tested its PL-19 Nudol missile and followed it up with other tests. Read more
Explaining why Mission Shakti is special, PM Modi tweeted, "India is only the 4th country to acquire such a specialised and modern capability. The entire effort is indigenous. India stands tall as a space power. It will make India stronger, even more secure and will further peace and harmony."
"Mission Shakti 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," PM Modi said on Twitter.
India on Wednesday became the fourth nation in the world to execute low-orbit satellite destruction in space. Before India, only the United States, Russia and China had conducted an anti-satellite missile test.
PM Modi: "Without satellites life would be incomplete. So it is equally important to keep them secure."
PM Modi said, "Today's Mission Shakti aimed at strengthening India's overall security." He also said that India's action not directed against any country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi: Today, we have enough satellites that are contributing in various segments such as agriculture, disaster management, communication, weather, navigation etc. India has always been against the presence of weapons in the space and this development will not change our stand.
PM Narendra Modi Wednesday said that 'Mission Shakti', where a satellite was shot down through an anti-satellite weapon A-SAT, was a difficult target to achieve which was completed successfully within three minutes of launch.
PM Narendra Modi: India has entered its name as an elite space power. An anti-satellite weapon A-SAT, successfully targeted a live satellite on a low earth orbit. (ANI)
In an address to the nation Wednesday, PM Modi said India has now become an established space power.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will shortly address the nation. Follow this space to stay updated about the related developments.