New Delhi: India on Wednesday shot down a low-orbit live satellite using an anti-satellite weapon, thus entering its name as an elite space power, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in a live televised address.
Hailing it as a major achievement for the country, Modi said “our aim is to maintain peace and not create an atmosphere of war”.
With this announcement, India has become the fourth country in the world to have successfully tested this technology. USA, Russia and China are the three other nations.
The operation was carried out under the ‘Mission Shakti’ initiative. The PM said it was a difficult target to achieve, but was completed successfully within three minutes of launch.
“Today, we have enough satellites that are contributing in various segments such as agriculture, disaster management, communication, weather, navigation etc,” he said. “I assure the world community that our new prowess is not against anyone.”
He said the A-SAT missile will give new strength to India’s space programme. He also assured the international community that India’s capability won’t be used against anyone but purely for its security.
“India stands tall as a space power! It will make India stronger, even more secure and will further peace and harmony,” PM Modi said in a tweet after his address to the nation.
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