On January 26, 2020, the Defence Research Development Organization (DRDO) displayed the A-SAT weapon system. A-SAT is the Anti-Satellite Weapon System. India is one of the few countries in the world to own the technology. The other countries include US, China and Russia.

Highlights

DRDO launched “Mission Shakti”, the first A-SAT mission. The mission demonstrated anti-satellite technology. The mission destroyed a live orbiting satellite at the Low Earth Orbit. The mission used a missile at a speed of 11 km per second to destroy the satellite.

The technology used in the A-SAT mission was named by India as “hit to kill” technology. The covert technology was developed by India. It enables to destroy enemy satellite with 10-centi metre accuracy.

International Treaty

India is a signatory of the international treaty on space, the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. According to the treaty, mass destruction of weapons in outer space are alone prohibited.