Analysis: Develop SAARC Satellite, Says Modi
To share the fruits of technological advancement with SAARC countries, Modi pressed the need for SAARC satellite Elated at ISRO’s successful PSLV-C23 rocket launch from Sriharikota, Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was present at the time of launch asked Indian space agency ISRO to develop a SAARC satellite which can be dedicated as a “gift” to India's neighbours.
The satellite will be useful for the development of all SAARC nations and considering India’s space capabilities, it can play a key role in this regard, he said
Exhorting the scientists to enlarge India’s footprint of satellite navigation system to cover all of South Asia, Modi said in his address after witnessing the successful launch of five foreign satellites on board ISRO's PSLV C-23 rocket, “Today I ask you, the space community, to take up the challenge of developing a SAARC satellite that we can dedicate to our neighbourhood as a gift from India,” he said in his address
Pressing for the need for Indian scientists to work on a satellite that would provide a full range of applications and services to all of India's neighbours, he said, “Such a satellite will be helpful in SAARC nations' fight against poverty and illiteracy, the challenge to progress in scientific field, and will open up avenues to provide opportunities to the youth of SAARC countries.”
Modi said the need for such a satellite arose because of India's age-old ethos of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' (the world is a family) even as “India's space programme is driven by service and not by desire of power.”
“For us, it (space programme) is an important instrument of human progress. We must, therefore, share the fruits of technological advancement with those who do not enjoy it. We already share disaster management data with over 30 countries,” he said
In his address that was both in English and Hindi to reach the masses, PM Modi said despite international hurdles, space programme was one area where India had “pushed beyond mediocrity” and had come a long way from the humble beginnings of its first satellite Aryabhata to engaging in commercial launches of satellites of even developed countries.”
Crediting former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee's vision for India's lunar mission Chandrayaan, the PM asked space scientists to work towards replicating such models in the area of land records and related issues, besides governance, and said, if implemented; it could help the public at large.
He said India's advanced space programme “Puts her in an elite global group of 5-6 countries” and asked ISRO to go in for heavier satellites.
Modi, who stayed overnight at ISRO, said he was happy to come across four generations of scientists, including those from the days of the Aryabhata satellite and said it gave a “family-like” environment at the spaceport.
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