Russia's reactions to India's anti-satellite missile test came after China expressed hope that all countries will maintain peace and tranquillity in the outer space

Russia okay with India’s Mission Shakti ASAT launch? India’s major achievement of joining the space superpowers has not met with any criticism from Russia. In a statement, terming India as “partners”, Russia said that it welcomed New Delhi to actively join the joint efforts of the international community. Russia, however, outlined its intention saying that it will continue to make necessary effort to prevent an arms race in outer space. It said the idea of developing a multilateral legally binding instrument for keeping outer space peaceful was based on a draft treaty signed between Russia and China.

With the support of a group of like-minded nations to prevent the weaponization of outer space, the use or threat of force against space objects as well as multilateral initiative – political obligations not to be first to place weapons in space are becoming particularly important, said Russia in its statement. During his speech, PM Modi categorically mentioned that the action was not meant for any aggression against any country and the satellite was a pre-determined target orbiting at an altitude of 300 km.

Russia said that India has highlighted the non-directedness of the test against any nations. It has also said that New Delhi has reiterated India’s foreign policy of not deploying the weapons in outer space, therefore, ruling out arms race. Russia, however, has accused the US of weaponising the outer space and said India’s anti-missile test was the consequences of “degraded situation” in the field of arms control.

Russia’s reactions to India’s anti-satellite missile test came after China expressed hope that all countries will maintain peace and tranquillity in the outer space.

On India successfully conducting test-firing an anti-satellite missile, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that Beijing has noticed reports from India and hoped that each country would maintain peace and tranquillity in outer space. The US has also said it would continue with its shared interests with India in space and technical cooperation.

The US was the first country to test ASAT. US launched High Virgo missile in September 1959 from B-58 aircraft. The missile targeted an Explorer satellite. In October same year, the US launched Bold Orion missile from B-47 aircraft to target the Explorer-6 satellite. In 2008, the US also destroyed its own satellite. China joined the league in 2007.