'Mission Shakti' a big win for India, announces Prime Minister Narendra Modi | Photo Credit: Times Now

New Delhi: In a major announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that India had displayed anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite. Calling it a rare achievement that places India in an exclusive club of space superpowers, the PM said the action did not aim against any country.

"In the journey of every nation, there are moments that bring utmost pride and have a historic impact on generations to come. One such moment is today," he said in an address to the nation on television, radio and social media.

Underlining that the action was not directed against any country, the PM said the satellite was a pre-determined target orbiting at an altitude of 300 km. He, however, did not divulge details apropos of who owned the satellite but added that India does not violate any international laws or treaties.

Mission Shakti operation was a difficult target to achieve which was completed successfully within three minutes of launch, announced the PM.

In the address that comes just a few days ahead of the commencement of 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, the PM said the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)–led Mission Shakti aimed at strengthening the country’s overall security.

With this, India has become the fourth country after the US, Russia, and China to acquire such a specialised and modern capability.

Later, former DRDO chief and NITI Aayog member Dr VK Saraswat told news agency ANI: "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."

Mission Shakti will make India "stronger, even more secure and will further peace and harmony. In the journey of every nation there are moments that bring utmost pride and have a historic impact on generations to come. One such moment is today," tweeted the PM after addressing the nation. India stands tall as a space power, added the PM.

"He added that India has successfully tested the Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile. Congratulations to everyone on the success of #MissionShakti...#MissionShakti 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."

Mission Shakti: Political reactions

1. Congress president Rahul Gandhi praised the DRDO for the achievement and at the same time took a dig at PM Modi.

Well done DRDO, extremely proud of your work.



I would also like to wish the PM a very happy World Theatre Day. — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 27, 2019

2. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari congratulates all the scientists who carried out 'Mission Shakti' successfully. "India is moving fast towards becoming a world leader and under PM Modi's leadership, it is on its way to not only become a 'super economic power', but also a 'super science power'," Gadkari said.

3. BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy described Mission Shakti as the Narendra Modi government's "tremendous achievement". "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. Congratulation to Namo," added Swamy.

4. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav takes to Twitter to hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making this announcement. "Today @narendramodi got himself an hour of free TV & divert nation's attention away from issues on ground — #Unemployment #RuralCrisis & #WomensSecurity — by pointing at the sky. Congratulations @drdo_india & @isro — this success belongs to you. Thank you for making India safer."

5. Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah mocks, tweets: "Mountains and molehills spring to mind!"

6. Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati accuses the PM of playing politics over India's anti-satellite missile capability. "Congratulations to Indian defence scientists for the successful experiment of shooting down a satellite in the space. But the prime minister playing politics under its garb for electoral gains is most condemnable," she tweeted.

7. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis tweets: "Congratulations India! We are now a space power too! And thank you Hon PM Narendra Modi ji for making India proud again by accomplishing #MissionShakti by testing anti-satellite (ASAT) missile & shooting down live satellite in just 3 minutes."

8. Speaking to Times Now, former Chief Minister of Maharashtra Prithviraj Chavan slammed the Modi government for making capital out of the A-SAT test and said that the UPA never felt the need to give the go-ahead required for the test in 2012.

Why is Mission Shakti special?

As per Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mission Shakti is special for two reasons:

1. India is only the fourth country to acquire such a specialised and modern capability.

2. The entire effort has been indigenous.

Earlier today, the PM had tweeted that he would make an important announcement between 11:45 am - 12 noon. "I would be addressing the nation at around 11.45 a.m.- 12 noon with an important message. Do watch the address on television, radio or social media," he had said.

The PM's tweet has led to a flurry of speculation on social media, with some users even predicting that Rs 500 currency notes will be banned.

With hashtag 'Just Saying', former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah had even tweeted that the PM would be declaring the results of the Lok Sabha elections. "What announcement will fit within the code of conduct guidelines of the election commission of India?," Abdullah had said in another tweet.