Modi's address to the Nation on Mission Shakti: How Rahul Gandhi greeted him

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Modi's address to the Nation on Mission Shakti: How Rahul Gandhi greeted him

This is also because Modi or his government has zero contribution in the landmark acheivement of the DRDO team

Wednesday March 27, 2019 5:04 PM, ummid.com News Network

[Representative image]

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced that India had demonstrated Anti-Satellite Missile capability (ASAT) by shooting down a live satellite. Addressing the nation, Modi said India's action was not directed against any country.

Shooting down a low earth orbit satellite is a rare achievement for the country. The satellite was orbiting at an altitude of 300 km, he said, describing India as a space power.

A great acheivement indeed! But, the way Narendra Modi announced it, first taking to Twitter to announce that "he has something very important to share with the nation between 11:45 to 12:00 noon. Then appearing on TV screens more than 20 minutes late in a typical theatrical style, has raised quite a few eyebrows.

This is also because Modi or his government has zero contribution in the landmark acheivement of the DRDO team. This is why Congress President Rahul Gandhi while congratulating the DRDO team, greeted Narendra Modi in these words.

"Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work. I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day", Rahul wrote on Twitter.

On the other hand, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said she would file a complaint with the Election Commission about the violation of the Model Code of Conduct, which lays down the dos and don'ts for a caretaker government and political parties ahead of the elections.

Congratulating the scientists, the Bengal Chief Minister, in a tweet, said: "Research, space management & development are a continuous process over the years. Modi, as usual, likes to take the credit for everything. Credit to those who really deserve it, our scientists & researchers."

ASAT Genesis in UPA

How Narendra Modi's address to the nation today backfired was also visible in the media reporting with a number of news outlets carrying with equal prominence the fact that the genesis of Anti-Satellite Missile (ASAT) was under UPA and India acquired the building blocks in 2012.

According to reports, after China successfully tested anti-satellite (ASAT) Missile systems in 2007, it forced India to think about its military capabilities in space. India’s response was measured. Officials asserted the need to secure Indian space assets while continuing to call for the use of space for peaceful purposes.

Indian Army’s unit brainstormed to develop 'Defence Space Vision 2020.' This idea was high on the agenda in Army Commander’s conference held on October 23-27 in 2007.

The official statement issued by Indian Army at the time said, “The army realizes the importance of space as a vital arena for future exploitation and has already established a space cell to coordinate space-based applications in a joint services operational environment.”

"The deliberations during the conference will be aimed at ratifying the army's space philosophy; concept of utilisation of space at tactical, operational and strategic levels; desired operational capabilities and related ground and space assets", he statement added.

MoD and DRDO

In 2008, Defence Minister under UPA1, AK Antony declared, “An integrated space cell would be created to protect the growing threat to our space assets."

Then in 2012 a first indication that India had moved far ahead came from the then chief of the Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRD) V.K.Saraswat who announced that India had “all the building blocks in place” to integrate an anti-satellite weapon to neutralise hostile satellites in low earth and polar orbits.

In an interview to the media Saraswat had suggested that India’s anti-ballistic missile defense program could be utilised as an ASAT weapon, along with its Agni series of missiles. This was subsequently confirmed by DRDO.

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