India has made a significant stride in its Postage Stamps sector, with the unveiling of a Customized My Stamp dedicated to its first-ever Anti Satellite Missile (A-SAT) launch. The Department of Posts chose to release the stamp on Engineers’ Day, an occasion honoring the birth anniversary of eminent civil engineer and statesman Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya.
The Significance of Engineers’ Day
Engineers’ Day is observed annually in India on 15th September. This event is held in honor of Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya (1861-1962), whose unparalleled contributions to engineering and statesmanship have left an indelible mark on the country. Among his significant achievements are the invention of the Block System for dams and his appointment as Chief Engineer of Mysore State in 1909. He also received the prestigious Bharat Ratna award in 1955. Sir Visvesvaraya’s books “Reconstructing India” and “Planned Economy of India,” published in 1920 and 1934 respectively, remain influential and celebrated works.
Understanding ‘My Stamp’
‘My Stamp’ denotes personalized sheets of Postage Stamps issued by India Post. Introduced during the World Philatelic Exhibition ‘INDIPEX-2011’, the concept allows corporations, organizations, and institutions to have their custom-designed stamps printed by India Post. The Customized My Stamp celebrating the A-SAT missile is the most recent addition to this series.
Insights into the A-SAT Missile
The A-SAT missile is an interceptor missile designed to destroy or incapacitate satellites in space. There are two kinds of A-SAT missiles – Kinetic and Non-Kinetic. While the former operates by physically striking an object to destruct it, the latter employs nonphysical means such as frequency jamming, lasers, or cyberattacks to disable or destroy space objects.
Mission Shakti: A Milestone Event
On 27th March 2019, India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted the country’s first Anti-Satellite missile test, named ‘Mission Shakti’. Launched from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha, the interceptor missile was a three-stage device with two solid rocket boosters.
This indigenous effort noticeably enhances India’s standing on the international platform, making it the fourth nation worldwide to possess such a sophisticated capability. The significant achievement could influence India’s role in future international treaties related to space governance or usage.
The Strategic Implications
The successful development of A-SAT capabilities carries implications for India’s geopolitical relations as well. For instance, Pakistan’s presumption of India’s no-first-use doctrine giving it an advantage could be negated if India were able to destroy an incoming Pakistani nuclear missile with the A-SAT technology. This significantly changes the dynamics of India-Pakistan relations.
Similarly, in relation to China, a major space power, India’s advanced counter-space capabilities provide a crucial balancing deterrent. Skillfull application of technologies like A-SAT can ensure strategic advantages and comprehensive security for India on multiple fronts.