India conducts anti-satellite missile test, joins elite space group
By IAR DeskTest not directed at anyone, does not violate any international law or Treaty obligation to which India is a party.
Photo: Twitter
India conducted an anti-satellite missile test on Wednesday, March 27, from an island complex off its east coast. Carried out by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the technological mission – named Mission Shakti – used a ballistic missile defence interceptor also produced by the DRDO, according to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.
The satellite used in the mission was one of India’s existing satellites operating in lower orbit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a televised address said, “India has made an unprecedented achievement today,” and had “registered its name as a space power.” “Our scientists shot down a live satellite 300 kilometres away in space, in low-earth orbit,” Modi said.
With this test, India joins an exclusive group of space faring nations consisting of USA, Russia and China. The significance of the test is that India has tested and successfully demonstrated its capability to interdict and intercept a satellite in outer space based on complete indigenous technology.
The Ministry explained the decision to use the Kinetic Kill technology to demonstrate ASAT capabilities as one in which India has developed capability, and the test was done in the lower atmosphere to ensure that there is no space debris. Whatever debris is generated will decay and fall back onto the earth within weeks.
India has a long standing and rapidly growing space programme. It has expanded rapidly since 2014. The Mangalyaan Mission to Mars was successfully launched. Thereafter, the government has sanctioned the Gaganyaan Mission which will take Indians to outer space. The country has undertaken 102 spacecraft missions consisting of communication satellites, earth observation satellites, experimental satellites, navigation satellites, apart from satellites meant for scientific research and exploration, academic studies and other small satellites. India’s space programme is a critical backbone of its security, economic and social infrastructure. It has made earth imaging satellites and launch capabilities as a cheaper alternative to Western programmes.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs underscored that the test was done “to verify that India has the capability to safeguard its space assets. It is the Government of India’s responsibility to defend the country’s interests in outer space” and “reflects the intention of the government to enhance India’s national security.” ASAT weapons are useful to knock out communication and imaging satellites.
However, it sought to clarify that India was not entering into an arms race in outer space, maintaining that space must be used only for peaceful purposes. In his address Modi assured “the international community that the new capability we have developed is not directed against anyone. India has no intention to threaten anyone. This is an effort to secure a fast growing India. India has always been opposed to the weaponisation of space and an arms race in outer space, and this test does not in any way change this position. Today’s test does not violate any international law or Treaty obligation to which India is a party.”
India is a party to all the major international treaties relating to Outer Space. India already implements a number of Transparency and Confidence Building Measures – including registering space objects with the UN register, prelaunch notifications, measures in harmony with the UN Space Mitigation Guidelines, participation in Inter Agency Space Debris Coordination activities with regard to space debris management, undertaking SOPA (Space Object Proximity Awareness and COLA (Collision Avoidance) Analysis and numerous international cooperation activities, including hosting the UN affiliated Centre for Space and Science Technology Education in Asia and Pacific. India has been participating in all sessions of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. India supported UNGA resolution 69/32 on No First Placement of Weapons on Outer Space.
“We are against the weaponization of Outer Space and support international efforts to reinforce the safety and security of space based assets,” the Ministry said. However, the government is committed to ensuring the country’s national security interests and is alert to threats from emerging technologies. The capability achieved through the Anti-Satellite missile test provides credible deterrence against threats to our growing space-based assets from long range missiles, and proliferation in the types and numbers of missiles.
India expects to play a role in the future in the drafting of international law on prevention of an arms race in outer space including inter alia on the prevention of the placement of weapons in outer space in its capacity as a major space faring nation with proven space technology.
Security expert Brahma Chellaney, wrote in a Facebook post “Space wars are not just Hollywood fiction. The US, Russia and China continue to pursue anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons. Space is being turned into a battlefront, making counter-space capabilities critical. In this light, India’s successful “kill” with an ASAT weapon is significant.” He also warned “Without building deterrence by demonstrating an ASAT (anti-satellite) capability, India risked encouraging an adversary like China to go after Indian space capabilities early in a conflict. To “defend” its satellites, India has to deter China’s use of its direct ascent missiles and laser weapons.”
Some experts believe that it was China’s test spurred India to develop its anti-satellite capability.
Responding to the news China’s foreign ministry said it hoped all countries “can earnestly protect lasting peace and tranquility in space”.
Arch-rival Pakistan, with whom tensions over a terror attack in the state of Jammu and Kashmir had ratcheted up recently, said space is the “common heritage of mankind and every nation has the responsibility to avoid actions which can lead to the militarization of this arena.”
Russian news media RT quoted Russian military analyst Mikhail Khodarenok as saying that hitting a satellite at 300km was “quite a result.” India is keen to design anti-satellite weapons systems, he said, adding the country “might even consider developing spacecraft able to defend their own satellites.”
This is expected to boost the electoral prospects of Prime Minsiter Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party in the upcoming parliamentary elections in India next month.
