India’s anti-satellite test hasn’t impressed its friend US; here’s why

Washington, March 28: Indians might feel pleased after the country carried out 'Mission Shakti' whereby it tested anti-satellite weapon from Odisha's APJ Abdul Kalam Island and became the fourth nation in the world with the capacity to destroy low-orbit satellites, but not all are happy, including some of its international friends.

Acting US Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan has warned that testing anti-satellite weapons can create a "mess" in the space after India destroyed one of its own satellites on Wednesday, March 27.

According to a report in Reuters, Shanahan said the US was still studying the test that India conducted and claimed that it carried it out in the low-earth orbit to not leave debris in the space.

In 2007, China's similar test had also led to reactions worldwide.

"My message would be: we all live in space, let's not make it a mess. Space should be a place where we can conduct business. Space is a place where people should have the freedom to operate," Reuters quoted Shanahan as telling reporters after India conducted its test.

Debris created from such tests can cause damage to civilian and military operations and collide with other objects in the space. India though said that it carried out the 'Mission Shakti' test in the lower atmosphere to ensure that there were no debris and that whatever remained would decay and return to earth within weeks.

Some experts, however, doubted the claim saying the path of debris cannot be controlled. According to Reuters which quoted a Pentagon spokesperson as saying, the US military is monitoring over 250 pieces of debris created from India's test.