The US has adopted a neutral stance towards India’s anti-satellite test carried out on Wednesday and has said that it will continue to pursue shared interests in space with the country while stressing that space debris was an important concern.

"The State Department saw PM Modi’s statement that announced India’s anti-satellite test. As part of our strong strategic partnership with India, we will continue to pursue shared interests in space and scientific and technical cooperation, including collaboration on safety and security in space. The issue of space debris is an important concern for the US government. We took note of Indian government statements that the test was designed to address space debris issues," the US Embassy Spokesperson said in an official statement on Thursday.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs had said on Wednesday that the test was done in the lower atmosphere to ensure that there was no space debris. “Whatever debris that is generated will decay and fall back onto the earth within weeks,” it said in a statement.

India conducted 'Mission Shakti', an anti-satellite missile test, from the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island launch complex on Wednesday. "This was a technological mission carried out by DRDO. The satellite used in the mission was one of India's existing satellites operating in lower orbit. The test was fully successful and achieved all parameters as per plans. The test required an extremely high degree of precision and technical capability,” the MEA statement said.  

The significance of the test is that India has tested and successfully demonstrated its capability to interdict and intercept a satellite in outer space based on complete indigenous technology, it added.

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