New Delhi / Arun Jaitley: Anti-satellite missile could have been built 10 years ago, UPA govt did not give nod

The Indian Express : Mar 27, 2019, 04:20 PM
Amid claims by the Opposition that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of the successful testing of an anti-satellite missile was nothing but “publicity mongering” ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday said it was a matter of national security and not an election stunt.

“We urge the Opposition not to make ‘clerical objections’. It is a matter of national security and therefore the Opposition must not object to it as an election stunt,” Jaitley said while addressing a press conference.

The finance minister also accused the previous UPA government of not granting scientists permission to build the country’s own anti-satellite missile.

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

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