The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) had the technical capability to develop an anti-satellite (ASAT) system in 2012 but despite efforts of the top missile scientist to get financial sanctions, the project was not given a go ahead.
Former chief of Defence Research and Development Organisation and current member of the NITI Aayog, V K Saraswat, ruled out any “political motive” to the announcement of the success of Mission Shakti by Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the elections and said, “DRDO works as permission time schedule which is in the hands of scientists and not the Prime Minister.”
“India had the capability to carry out an anti-satellite missile test in 2012-13 but there was no political clearance to it,” said former DRDO chief Vijay Saraswat. Saraswat claims UPA didn’t give go ahead to test fire ASAT missile because of ‘fear psychosis.’
In reply to a question, he said: “These discussions were held in the presence of all the concerned authorities. Unfortunately, we did not get the response to go ahead. Since there was no response from the government and no necessary financial resources were provided, we did not go ahead with the programme.”
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