Asia | The sky’s no limit

India’s prime minister takes his re-election campaign into outer space

Narendra Modi orders the test of an anti-satellite missile, weeks before an election

AT NOON ON March 27th Narendra Modi, India’s prime minister, appeared on television to deliver a triumphal message to the nation. An Indian missile had hurtled 300km into space and blown up a satellite, putting India in the small club of countries that had developed and tested anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons. “India stands tall as a space power!” he exulted.

This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “The sky’s no limit”

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