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South Asia satellite to facilitate communications in the SAARC region
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President Sirisena speaks to Premier Modi via satellite connection
After the successful launch of the South Asia satellite by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Friday, President Sirisena expressed hope that this will be networked with all other South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries. As a partner in this effort, Sri Lanka can benefit from this satellite to successfully develop infrastructure facilities.
Extending his best wishes to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi through a video conference call from the Presidential residency in Anuradhapura, President Sirisena appreciated the commitment by the Indian Prime Minister to strengthen the relationship between SAARC countries. “I believe this satellite would help uplift the economic and social standards of the people.”
South Asia Satellite is a geosynchronous communications and meteorology satellite by the ISRO for the SAARC region. The satellite was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. It will help meet the growing telecommunications and broadcasting needs of the region. The satellite will provide, among other things, communication channels for better coordination during disaster management. It will also help countries in mapping terrain and natural resources.
After the successful launch of the satellite, Mr. Modi addressed six other heads of South Asian nations via video conference. He pointed out that the project will touch the lives of people in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and India through regional cooperation in the area of space technology applications in telecommunication and broadcasting, tele-medicine, tele-education, e-governance, banking/ATM services, cellular back-haul, meteorological data transmission, disaster response and networking of academic and research institutions.
“South Asia Satellite demonstrated that our collective choices for our citizens will bring us together for cooperation, not conflict; development, not destruction; and prosperity not poverty,” a statement from the Indian Foreign Ministry quoted the Indian Premier as saying.
Meanwhile, Pakistan stayed away from taking part in the project. Earlier it said it was planning to launch its own communication satellite, but failed in its efforts.
(See also ST2 )