Targeting the Congress, Jaitley said those patting their own back for India's strategic missile programme were doing so for wrong reasons.
On Wednesday, even as Congress leaders reacted to Mission Shakti by praising Manmohan Singh, Indira Gandhi and even Jawaharlal Nehru for Mission Shakti, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley accused the erstwhile UPA government of not granting scientists permission to build the country's own anti-satellite missile, saying it lacked "capability and clarity".
Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi, he said when India had test-fired the Agni-V missile in April, 2012, then DRDO chief VK Saraswat had said that India could now develop an anti-satellite missile but the government had not given its nod.
Targeting the Congress, he said those patting their own back for India's strategic missile programme were doing so for wrong reasons.
"If they want to rectify the Balakot (air strike) mistake, it is the opportunity for the opposition to do so and stand in support of our scientists," he said, referring to the air strike on a terrorist camp in Pakistan after the Pulwama terror attack.
Former DRDO chief Dr VK Saraswat also said: "We made presentations to National Security Adviser & National Security Council, when such discussions were held, they were heard by all concerned, unfortunately, we didn't get a positive response (from UPA), so we didn't go ahead."
He added: "When proposal was put up by Dr Satheesh Reddy & NSA Ajit Doval to PM Modi, he had the courage & based on that he gave a go ahead. If the clearances were given in 2012-13, I'm quite certain that the launch would have happened in 2014-15."
Former DRDO Chief Dr VK Saraswat on #MissionShakti: We made presentations to National Security Adviser&National Security Council, when such discussions were held, they were heard by all concerned, unfortunately, we didn't get positive response (from UPA), so we didn't go ahead. pic.twitter.com/qJDMtc3Kf2
— ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019
Dr VK Saraswat on #MissionShakti: When proposal was put up by Dr Satheesh Reddy & NSA Ajit Doval to PM Modi, he had the courage & based on that he gave a go ahead. If the clearances were given in 2012-13, I'm quite certain that the launch would have happened in 2014-15. https://t.co/Amnf62Qa0r
— ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019
1. Walk down memory lane
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In April 2012, DRDO chief VK Saraswat had said after the successful test launch of Agni V, that India had the capability and technology to launch anti-satellite weapons. Before him, his predecessor Avinash Chander had said the same thing in February.
He had said: “An anti-satellite system requires a good boost capability. Something like 800 km (into space). If you can reach that and have the guiding capabilities it can be done. The Agni V has demonstrated the boost capability.”
He had also elaborated that India had demonstrated that it had the guidance capability required through its series of anti-ballistic missile tests that had been carried out over the past few years. He however, made it clear that the UPA II (which was in power in 2012), hadn’t sanctioned the development of an anti-satellite system.
Read: 26/11 and parliament attack went unpunished: Former Air Chief Marshal
2. History of ASATs
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The United States performed the first anti-satellite tests in 1959, when satellites themselves were rare and new.
Bold Orion, designed as a nuclear-tipped ballistic missile re-purposed to attack satellites, was launched from a bomber and passed close enough to the Explorer 6 satellite for it to have been destroyed if the missile had been armed.
The Soviet Union performed similar tests around the same time. In the 1960s and early 1970s, it tested a weapon that could be launched in orbit, approach enemy satellites and destroy them with an explosive charge, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists, a non-profit research and advocacy organisation.
In 1985, the United States tested the ASM-135, launched from an F-15 fighter jet, destroying an American satellite called Solwind P78-1.
There were no tests for more than 20 years.
Then in 2007, China entered the anti-satellite arena by destroying an old weather satellite in a high, polar orbit. The test created the largest orbital debris cloud in history, with more than 3,000 objects, according to the Secure World Foundation, a group that advocates sustainable and peaceful uses of outer space.
The next year, the United States carried out Operation Burnt Frost, using a ship-launched SM-3 missile to destroy a defunct spy satellite.
Picture: U.S. ASM-135 ASAT missile
3. Congress reaction
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite, describing it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space super powers.
The Congress on Wednesday congratulated ISRO and the government for acquiring anti-satellite missile capability but extended credit to former prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, while a senior party leader said the 'ASAT' programme was initiated during UPA rule.
Deflecting attention from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who announced in an address to the nation that India had demonstrated anti-satellite missile capability by shooting down a live satellite, the Congress and several of its leaders focused on giving credit to India's space scientists.
"We congratulate @isro & the Govt on the latest achievement for India. The Indian Space Programme established in 1961 by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru & the Indian Space Research Organisation set up under Smt. Indira Gandhi has always made India proud with its ground breaking achievements," the party tweeted from its official handle shortly after Modi's announcement.
Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel credited the United Progressive Alliance government for initiating the ASAT (Anti-Satellite) programme and lauded then prime minister Manmohan Singh's leadership.
"The UPA government had initiated the ASAT program which has reached fruition today. I congratulate our space scientists & the visionary leadership of Dr Manmohan Singh," Patel tweeted.
His colleague, party spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi, also praised the country's scientists while taking a dig at detractors of Nehru and eminent scientist Dr Homi Bhabha.
"I congratulate our space scientists in ensuring that we continue to reach new heights in space missions! Burn moment for bhakts who keep cursing Pt. Nehru,it was his&Dr.Homi Bhabha's far sightedness that has got us where we are today,in shorter span of time than any other nation," she said in a tweet.
She also acknowledged the role of scientist Vikram Sarabhai in India's achievements in the field of space.
"India has successfully tested the Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile. Congratulations to everyone on the success of #MissionShakti," the prime minister said.
He described it as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space super powers.
He said the action was not directed against any country and the satellite was a pre-determined target orbiting at an altitude of 300 km.
