Prime Minister Narendra Modi has on Wednesday said in an address to the nation that India has become an elite space power with the success of Mission Shakti. "An anti-satellite weapon A-SAT successfully targeted a live satellite on a low earth orbit. The operation was a difficult target to achieve which was completed successfully within three minutes of launch," Modi said.

"Today, we have enough satellites that are contributing in various segments such as agriculture, disaster management, communication, weather, navigation etc. 'Mission Shakti' is an important step towards securing India's safety, economic growth and technological advancement," the PM added.

The US, Russia, and China are the only other countries who have this unique achievement to their credit. "This is special for two reasons: (1) India is only the 4th country to acquire such a specialized and modern capability. (2) The entire effort is indigenous," Modi added.