DefExpo 2020: India trumpets its supposed ascent with ASAT missile
The largest item in the Defence Research & Development Organisation’s (DRDO) outdoor corral at DefExpo 2020 was an anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon. This pride of the DRDO, set in a dusty makeshift display area that could easily claim a twisted ankle of the unwary visitor, illustrates the struggles India experiences in reaching the top ranks of weapon makers.
Codenamed Mission Shakti by India, the ASAT test enabled a successful intercept of a satellite on 27 March 2019. The target in Low Earth Orbit was moving at 8km/s so this feat was impressive, despite the space debris created.
India was the fourth
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