27 March 2019 12:51 pm
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi revealed that country's scientists shot down a low orbit satellite 300 km away in space.
"Just a few minutes ago, our scientists shot down a live satellite on the LEO (Low Earth Orbit). They achieved it in just three minutes," he said.
Anti-satellites are space weapons designed to incapacitate or destroy satellites for strategic military purposes. For example, to bring down spy satellites. China had achieved its own anti-satellites in 2007.
With the successful test launch of the Agni V missile in 2012, India has demonstrated that it now has the capability and technology to launch anti-satellite weapons but the government has not yet given a go-ahead to develop such systems, former DRDO chief V K Saraswat told the Indian Express in April 2012.
"Today, India has established itself as a space power," Modi said in a live televised address on Wednesday (march 27). "Until now, only US, Russia and China could claim the title. India is the fourth country to achieve this feat," he added.
He also went on to reassure the international community that India will only use this new capability for its own security and development and that no international covenant has been broken in today's action. (Business Insider)