The launch on May 5 of GSAT-09, a communication satellite developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), will bring India closer to its neighbours Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bhutan.
The satellite, which weighs 2,230 kg and took almost three years to build, would boost services such as telecommunication, direct-to-home, telemedicine, tele-education and other supporting systems in these countries.
The satellite is also expected to help support their water conservation initiatives, by providing data, forecasting weather and sending alerts on natural disasters.
In June 2014, shortly after he took over as Prime Minister of the country, Narendra Modi asked Isro to develop a satellite that could be dedicated as a ‘gift’ for South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations.
“Such a satellite will be helpful in SAARC nations’ fight against poverty and illiteracy, and in overcoming the challenges to progress in the scientific field, besides opening up opportunities to the youth of SAARC countries,” Modi had said, adding that such a satellite will be useful for the development of all SAARC nations, with India playing a key role in the initiative.
However, Pakistan opted out from of this programme chose not to be a beneficiary. Following this, the Indian government changed the name of the vehicle to South Asian Satellite.
With India’s GSAT-09, South Asian countries can also save the investment they would have had to make on developing a communication satellite and launching it. However, they have to make their own ground station to crunch data from the 12 Ku-band transponders in the satellite. India has spent around Rs. 235 crore to develop the space vehicle.
India is the strongest among these countries in the region, since it has developed its own satellite launchers and has placed itself among the elite group of space exploring countries.
While Sri Lanka has its own communication satellites, they were deployed with China’s help. Bangladesh is developing a satellite with the help of a French firm. Afghanistan could be another beneficiary of the programme.
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