There was a recent debate about the launch of ASAT (anti satellite missile) and the announcement on national television of the same by PM Narendra Modi. Being election time, opposition parties complained to election commission on PM Modi's speech as having violated the code. Election commission didn't find any issue with the speech.
My understanding of the issue is as follows:
1. Should it have been announced by India?
Yes. You are taking down a satellite by launching a missile. If India didn't announce it and some other country would have, it would have led to an embarrassing situation as it would have been construed as an act of sly agression.
2. Who should have announced it? DRDO or PM or some other official representative?
DRDO has no right to announce taking down of a satellite. It is not its core work and it has no power to decide on such actions. Also it would have seemed it is working in isolation and government has no control.
Some other official of PMO office or defence could have spoken. However the message was larger than an announcement. The message to the world was that it was not in violation of any international laws, of reiteration of no first use policy and removing any apprehensions of agression to the world as it was soon after the Balakot Air Strike.
Only the PM could convince the world on this point. So PM should have spoken and he spoke.
