Chennai: India has successfully launched South Asia satellite from India’s space agency today. It will be providing communications services to the neighbouring countries. It’s been called ‘India’s precious gift’ by PM Modi.
The launch of the satellite was announced several years ago and it is completely funded by India. The countries of SAARC will be able to access the services provided by it, except for Pakistan, who refused to be a part of the network, reported by CNN.
According to Uday Bhaskar, director of Delhi-based think tank the Society for Policy Studies, the satellite represents a “new form of regional cooperation,” and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called it a “gift to the SAARC region.”
“Even the sky is not the limit when it comes to regional cooperation among like-minded countries,” Modi said after the launch.
Experts have said that before the launch of South Asia satellite, China and Sri Lanka had already launched satellites in order to have their influence over the south Asia region. This may be also considered a political move, according to the experts.