[superasn]

The cynic in me thinks that everything being said and done right now is because of upcoming elections. I started thinking like this after I learned the whole demonetization fiasco was just to win the UP elections.

Nonetheless it does feel better that India is doing something about upgrading its defence with the recent happenings in doklam and pulwama.

[godelmachine]

Well, I would like to contest that claim.

Taken from Wikipedia, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-satellite_weapon -

>>On February 10, 2010, Defence Research and Development Organisation Director-General and Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister, Dr VK Saraswat stated that India had "all the building blocks necessary" to integrate an anti-satellite weapon to neutralize hostile satellites in low earth and polar orbits.

Indian scientists were working in this since at least 2010, and this mission has bore fruition only when it was to.

Demonetization was totally current PM’s decision, but the successful testing of A-SAT was in the making since at least a decade.

[sbmthakur]

Yes. It seems that this could've been done as early as 2012. But the then government didn't give a go ahead[1].

1. https://archive.indianexpress.com/news/can-show-antisatellit...

[_nedR]

You are in all probability correct and you arent the only one. (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-47114401)

Like the other commenter pointed out, the DRDO has long claimed this capability. But this surprise announcement in a planned press conference (without telling what it was about) before elections.. why announce this now? Timing of it only makes sense in context of elections

[sbmthakur]

> The cynic in me thinks that everything being said and done right now is because of upcoming elections. I started thinking like this after I learned the whole demonetization fiasco was just to win the UP elections.

You are obviously free to think whatever you want but that's still a speculation.