Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced that India had successfully tested its indigenously developed ASAT missiles. With this, India became the 4th country after the USA, Russia and China to acquire the capability to take down satellites in space.
Since then, Congress politicians and Durbaris have attempted to downplay the entire achievement and claim credit for themselves. Now, the former DRDO chief during the UPA regime has credited Narendra Modi for the success.
#TNExclusive: Former DRDO Chief Dr. VK Saraswat credits PM @narendramodi for #MissionShakti, in conversation with @Srinjoy_C. pic.twitter.com/U93GMOylIf
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) March 27, 2019
Speaking to Times Now, he said, “In 2012, obliquely I had given a hint that India has the building blocks for doing the ASAT systems. That was a time when, as part of the BMD program, we were working on how to create the ASAT capability. Because in 2007, China had demonstrated the interception of a satellite. We did our simulations and based on those simulations, we said that we had the capability.”
Saraswat then added that certain technologies weren’t available yet then which have been developed since Narendra Modi came to power in 2014. He stated, “But there were elements of technology in those days which were missing. And in the last four years, I would like to give the credit to Honourable Prime Minister Modi for giving DRDO scientists the clearance to build those building blocks which were missing and realize the ASAT system. Because of that kind of clearance and push, the DRDO scientists have been able to integrate today a very potent ASAT missile which is in a position to intercept a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite with high precision.”
The former DRDO chief also credited NSA Ajit Doval for providing current DRDO Chief Satheesh Reddy with the “push” to build the missile. He also credited the entire team of DRDO which headed Mission Shakti for the success.
