Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced that India will launch on May 5 the South Asia Satellite, which will be the country’s “priceless gift” to its neighbours as part of the NDA’s Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas policy. Seven out of eight SAARC countries are a part of the project which Pakistan refused to join as it did not want the “gift” from India. Modi made this announcement in his monthly radio programme Mann ki Baat.
The nations participating in the project are India, Sri lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives and Afghanistan. The concept of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas is not confined to India, but is relevant globally too, especially in the context of the neighbourhood, Modi said. “There should be cooperation of our neighbours and there should be development of our neighbours too,” he said.
He said the benefits of this satellite would go a long way in meeting the developmental needs of the countries participating in this project. “This is an appropriate example of our commitment towards South Asia...The satellite of South Asia will help in the overall development of the entire region,” Modi said.
Soon after taking over as the Prime Minister in 2014, Modi had made a unilateral proposal of India launching the satellite whose data would be shared with the eight SAARC countries for their development.