Jaitley Says UPA Neglected A-SAT in 2012, Ex-DRDO Chief Agrees

“UPA didn’t grant scientists permission to build India’s own anti-satellite missile,” Jaitley said.

Union Minister for Finance Arun Jaitley and former DG of DRDO VK Saraswat. 

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Soon after PM Narendra Modi declared that India had successfully tested an anti-satellite weapon, Arun Jaitley accused the erstwhile UPA government of not granting scientists permission to do the same during its tenure.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters in Delhi on Wednesday, 27 March, the finance minister said the UPA tenure lacked both "capability and clarity".

Jaitley said when India had test-fired the Agni-V missile in April 2012, the then DRDO chief VK Saraswat had said that India could now develop an anti-satellite missile but the government had not given its nod.

Targeting the Congress, he said those patting their own back for India’s strategic missile programme were doing so for wrong reasons.

Click here to know everything about India’s Mission Shakti.

Jaitley said that while the government is discussing national security and geo-political situation, the Opposition is raising 'clerical objections' in Mission Shakti.

Referring to the Opposition parties, Jaitley said, “It reminds of the saying when the finger points to the moon, the idiot always points to the finger.”

"If they want to rectify the Balakot (air strike) mistake, it is the opportunity for the Opposition to do so and stand in support of our scientists," he said, referring to the air strike on a terrorist camp in Pakistan after the Pulwama terror attack.

UPA Didn’t Give a Positive Response: Former DRDO Chief

Backing Jaitley’s claim was former DRDO chief Saraswat who said the UPA government did not give a positive response for the launch of satellite back in 2012-2013.

“We made presentations to national security adviser and national security council, when such discussions were held, they were heard by all concerned. Unfortunately, we didn’t get positive response (from UPA), so we didn’t go ahead,” Saraswat said.

“When proposal was put up by Dr Satheesh Reddy and NSA Ajit Doval to PM Modi, he had the courage and based on that he gave a go ahead. If the clearances were given in 2012-13, I am quite certain that the launch would have happened in 2014-15.”

VK Saraswat

Prime Minister Modi, in his address to the nation, described India’s A-SAT testing as a rare achievement that puts the country in an exclusive club of space super powers.

(With inputs from PTI)