SOURCE: AFI
On March 27, 2019, India surprised the world with the announcement of Mission Shakti, a successful anti-satellite (ASAT) missile test. Prime Minister Narendra Modi revealed that a ballistic missile interceptor, the Prithvi Defence Vehicle Mark-II (PDV MK-II), developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), destroyed an Indian Microsat-R satellite in low Earth orbit.
Mission Shakti wasn’t impulsive. The targeted satellite, launched weeks prior at a deliberately low altitude, hinted at a controlled debris creation strategy. The small size of the satellite and the intercept method (hit-to-kill) further supported this intention.
While the PDV MK-II’s production status remains unconfirmed, speculations suggest further tests might be planned. These future tests could involve more challenging targets, potentially electronic moving objects instead of stationary satellites. However, official confirmation is yet to come.