EC forms committee to examine PM Modi's address to the nation on 'Mission Shakti' for poll code violation

China on Wednesday reacted guardedly to 'Mission Shakti' - India's anti-satellite missile test - and expressed hope that all countries will uphold peace and tranquillity in the outer space.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry, in a written response to a question from PTI on India successfully test-firing an anti-satellite missile, said: "We have noticed reports and hope that each country will uphold peace and tranquillity in outer space".

China conducted such a test in January 2007 when its anti-satellite missile destroyed a defunct weather satellite.

Former DRDO Chief Dr VK Saraswat on Mission Shakti: We made presentations to National Security Adviser and National Security Council, when such discussions were held, they were heard by all concerned, unfortunately, we didn't get positive response (from UPA), so we didn't go ahead.

"When the proposal was put up by Dr Satheesh Reddy and NSA Ajit Doval to PM Modi, he had the courage and based on that he gave a go ahead. If the clearances were given in 2012-13, I'm quite certain that the launch would have happened in 2014-15," Dr Saraswat said. 

Commenting on India's feat of successfully testing an A-SAT (Anti-satellite) missile, Chairman of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Dr G. Satheesh Reddy said that with today's feat India has demonstrated its capabilities to hit threatening satellites positioned at a long range.

"We have mastered anti-satellite capability and we have today shown that we can hit satellites at long ranges with a few centimeters accuracy," DRDO chairman G. Satheesh Reddy told ANI.

According to government sources, the satellite which was hit on Wednesday morning during the test was a microsatellite launched by the ISRO on January 24 this year and was decommissioned at present.

Following the achievement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up the entire team of DRDO scientists who worked on the A-SAT programme and congratulated them for their hard work.

In a major defence achievement, India had successfully tested an anti-satellite missile by shooting down its own decommissioned satellite that was on a 'Low Earth Orbit' at a height of 300 KM from the earth's surface.

Making the announcement about the test, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India's feat is only for its own defence needs and not for use against any country. He also reiterated that Indi was against the arms race in outer space.

G Madhavan Nair, former ISRO Chief to DNA on Mission Shakti: "This is a defence system for our space assets. Today's operation is related to our defence technology, using space as a platform. The country is totally dependent on various satellites for communication, broadcasting needs, security needs. In case these assets are affected we would face a problem in day to day life. So protecting these space assets becomes an important element. DRDO has taken the lead and they have put together a missile system associated tracking and command systems. They demonstrated the capability on a live satellite."

He added: "The capabilities have been demonstrated in a manner which was safe. The low-earth orbit satellite was shot down at an altitude of 300-kms, ensuring that its debris do not hurt the assets of other countries. They will decay and burn off soon."

He added : "In this we ensured that we are also not polluting upper atmosphere."

Former DRDO Chief and NITI Aayog member Dr VK Saraswat to ANI on anti-satellite weapon A-SAT: "This is a fantastic capability to have and it gives us a deterrence in case our adversaries try to militarise the space or try to prevent us from using our existing space capabilities."

On Wednesday, even as PM Modi announced that India had displayed anti-SAT capabilities and congratulated DRDO, Congress leaders – with the alacrity they displayed to point out that IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman got ‘wings under UPA’ – rushed to take credit for the launch.

Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel, known to be extremely close to Sonia Gandhi said: “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.”

Pankhuri Pathak meanwhile found the ground-breaking announcement ‘boring’. She said: “Hadd hi ho Gayi ! And it’s getting boring now.. simply Thank you Nehru , ISRO & DRDO bol kar khatam kar dete !” 

Senior Karnataka Congress leader Dinesh Gundu Rao said: “It’s matter for us to be proud of, thanks to the unstinting efforts of our space scientists and engineers, organisations like ISRO,IISC,DRDO etc. The foundations were laid, after independence, by our former PM Sri Nehru.”

Former Karnataka CM Siddaramiah wrote: “Congratulations to @DRDO_India for successfully testing Anti-Satellite missile!! #MissionShakti.”

But the real irony is that in 2012, during the UPA II regime, erstwhile DRDO chief VK Saraswat had said that India had anti-SAT capabilities, but the government of the day hadn’t given the go-ahead.

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. #MissionShakti

Rajyavardhan Rathore

The successful execution of #MissionShakti is a proud, powerful, historical moment for us.

Under the visionary leadership of PM @narendramodi ji, today we have become a formidable space power with proven Anti-Satellite Missile capability

Many congrats @DRDO_India & all Indians!

ऐतिहासिक 'मिशन शक्ति' को सफल बनाने के लिए हमारे वैज्ञानिकों और देश की जनता को बधाई। हमने एक लो ऑर्बिट सैटेलाइट को मार गिराया है, जिसका मतलब है कि हम देश पर आने वाले किसी भी प्रकार के खतरे के लिए तैयार हैं। @narendramodi #MissionShakti #NamumkinAbMumkinHai

— Chowkidar Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) March 27, 2019

Here is a quick guide to 'Mission Shakti':

What was 'Mission Shakti'?

'Mission Shakti' was an Indian missile test that was successfully carried out in the morning of March 27. India demonstrated that it had developed an anti-satellite missile. It successfully destroyed a satellite that was circling the Earth in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at an altitude of 300 km. The whole operation took three minutes, the PM said. The name 'Mission Shakti' seems to be an allusion to the strategic breakthrough India achieved with 'Operation Shakti' nuclear tests of 1998, which are also referred to as 'Pokhran-2'.

What is it, in simpler terms?

India now has a missile that can hit satellites in space.

Is it aimed at Pakistan? Or China?

Neither, according to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the test was not aimed at any nation in particular. "We want to assure the world that our new capability is not against any country but is the defensive initiative of a fast-moving India. India has always been against an arms race in space, and this operation has not changed that. This is not a violation of any treaty or law.

Why is this a big deal?

India is only the fourth country to demonstrate that it has an anti-satellite weapon. It means India now has the option of shooting down the satellites of any country in the event of conflict. That could have vast military implications, especially for the use of spy satellites or even navigation satellites of a particular country.

What did PM Modi say?

He said India should feel proud of its growing power and clout. He congratulated the Defence Research and Development (DRDO) and the scientists who carried out the operation. He spoke of the growing role that space assets play in daily life and in the economic development of nations, and said the strategic capability would further cement India's place in the world as a space power. He further said it would aid in securing peace and harmony.

Which are the other countries that have anti-satellite weapons?

A number of countries could potentially carry out a strike against a satellite. However, only the US, Russia and China have demonstrated such an ability so far. The US and USSR had developed the capability during the Cold War. China carried out its first test in 2007.

How real is the threat to satellites?

No country in the world has so far used anti-satellite weapons against satellites belonging to another country. The US, Russia and China - and now, India - all blew up their own satellites. The US and Russia have also shot down their own defunct satellites on multiple occasions.

Issues related to national security and disaster management do not fall under the ambit of the model code of conduct, sources in the Election Commission said Wednesday. They were responding to queries on whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement of India's successful demonstration of anti-satellite missile capability violated the poll code. "The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) had met. Decisions taken by it and issues such as disaster management do not fall under the model code of conduct and require no prior nod," a functionary said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite, describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space super powers.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on Wednesday at 12:10 PM announcing that India has entered an elite space club by successfully testing A-SAT, an anti-satellite missile. India is now an entrant in a club of three nations -- United States, Russia and China -- with anti-satellite weapon capabilities, informed Prime Minister Modi.

Government sources revealed to ANI that the A-SAT weapon was launched around 11:16AM on Wednesday and targeted an Indian satellite which had been decommissioned and was orbiting on a 'Low Earth Orbit' at a height of 300 KM from the earth's surface. The entire test, with confirmation of target elimination, took 3 minutes.

The project announced by Prime Minister Modi in a televised address as "Mission Shakti" was coordinated by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Chairman G. Satheesh Reddy and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval along with officers of the National Security Council.
The missile was launched from the DRDO's testing range in Odisha's Balasore. At the time of testing of the A-SAT missile, G. Satheesh Reddy was camping in Balasore to see the project through.

"A-SAT missile will give new strength to India's space programme. I assure the international community that our capability won't be used against anyone but is purely India's defence initiative for its security," assured Prime Minister Modi in his televised address. Government sources also assured that this test would have no bearing on India's status in the MTCR (Missile Technology Control Regime) or other such treaties.

Reacting, BJP Rajya Sabha MP said: “Tremendous achievement by Namo Govt. It has thrown Pakistan electronic guidance of their jet fighter into blindness. Even Pak airforce jets flying over Pak territory can be shot down by blinded Pak radars.” Swamy's statement is a complete anti-thesis of what the government said after conduction the test. They said: "The test was done to verify that India has the capability to safeguard our space assets. It is the Government of India’s responsibility to defend the country’s interests in outer space. "