Had Building Blocks Of Anti-Satellite Weapon In 2005: Former DRDO Chief

Missile scientist Dr V K Saraswat, a member of the NITI Aayog and former Director General of the DRDO, has told NDTV the credit for the anti-satellite missile test should go to Team India. Confirming that the building blocks for this technology has existed since 2005 when India conducted its first Interceptor missile test also called the Ballistic Missile Defence, he said the political go-ahead came from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hence the scientists did this test now. In 2012, India conducted its test of the Agni-5 missile a "game changer" as described by Dr Saraswat then when he spoke to NDTV from Wheeler Island. Today's test puts India into a select club and the aerospace scientists should be congratulated says Dr Saraswat. The test will leave debris which may fall back to Earth over the next three weeks, he says. India's space assets are better protected after this ASAT test which has been done to show the capabilities of deterrence, he adds.