The Chairman of the Defence and Research Organisation (DRDO) that developed the A-SAT or anti-satellite missile which was tested successfully on Tuesday, rejected speculative reports that the A-SAT was a derivative of the Prithvi ballistic missile family.

In an exclusive interview to ANI, DRDO Chairman G Satheesh Reddy said that this was a new missile developed specifically as an anti-satellite weapon. "The missile has technologies developed for ballistic missile defence applications, particularly the kill vehicle," said Reddy. He added that in addition to this, rocket motors developed in missile complexes were all integrated to make a new A-SAT missile.