Modi's space walk

India shot down its own helicopter last month but wants to be a space power. If Narendra Modi's electoral commitments to ensure socio-economic empowerment of people didn't materialise, his promises for the upcoming general elections are far more hyperbolic. Now he has kicked off his election campaign with an offer of "New India" and a "'space superpower". And there it was. India claimed Wednesday it destroyed a low-orbiting satellite in a missile test. "This is a proud moment for India," he said in a televised address. India probably acquired this capability some time back under the Congress-led UPA coalition government, but Narendra Modi of BJP has timed it with his election campaign, just like he succeeded in selling his perverted version of the Pulwama attack. And then there were doubts about authenticity of India's Balakot surgical strike which had to be bypassed. Quite a few well-informed Indians also doubt veracity of his claim of walking the space. Where is the evidence? It is only Modi who would claim such a capability is not against anyone, as "this is to secure and defend ... fast-growing India". If what Modi claimed did actually happen and it was not an electoral lollypop, then some other powers making a matching response cannot be ruled out. Since portraying India as a world power jells well with Indian electorate Modi was not much out of place to claim this 'feat'. Correctly then opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has greeted Modi with "a very happy World Theatre Day" tweet.
The world reaction to Indian move is essentially along two lines. One, since the junk from such tests can harm civilian and military satellite operations and collide with other objects in space India's experiment has caused deep public concern. And would remain even if Indian claim that since its test was carried out in lower space and the resultant junk would fall back on earth within a few weeks. Will that be the case, there is no evidence it did after the two such incidents before. Historically, there have been two space junks events - China's anti-satellite test in 2007 and collision of a defunct Soviet-era satellite with an operating US spacecraft in 2009. The space is believed to be already seeded with many objects, out of which a few thousands have been catalogued, but many others being too minuscule have not been catalogued. Since those incidents the three space powers, the United States, Russia and China, have ensured that there is no more satellite-hunting with missiles. Intriguingly, Prime Minister Modi's announcement comes soon after President Trump ordered the US military to establish its "sixth branch as a space force". One of his predecessor, Ronald Reagan, too, announced militarization of space, hoping Moscow would join this highly expensive race and go bankrupt. But Moscow did not bite the bait, compelling Washington to abandon that project. How interestingly however it is that the United States has now accused India of 'messing up' the space.
Like the open seas the space is a common heritage of mankind. It should not be militarized. Since India is bent upon acquiring the Star Wars capability Pakistan is deeply concerned. It has strongly reacted to India's claim of carrying out its anti-satellite missile strike. From Pakistan's perspective, there are gaps in the international space laws which must be addressed to ensure that no one threatens peaceful activities and application of space technologies that are so essential for socio-economic development. The three already in space, are just enough; the entry of the fourth to this 'exclusive club' is absolutely unwarranted. Otherwise, given Indian governing elite's vicious anti-Pakistan mindset and unpredictability of its mind and mood Pakistan would be left with no option but to follow suit. Before that happens the countries which in the past strongly condemned demonstration of similar capabilities by others would be well-advised to work towards developing international instruments to prevent military threats to outer space. Though, at the same time, it is one's perception that just as his claims of 'surgical strikes' against Pakistan the Modi's claim of having anti-satellite (ASTA) weapon too is nothing more than an election stunt. And, if by making this claim Modi has violated his country's electoral laws, as insisted by his opponents, it is no one's but Indians' headache.