SAARC Satellite is a proposed communication-cum-meteorology satellite[2] by Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO) for the SAARC region. Prime Minister of IndiaNarendra Modi mooted the idea of a satellite serving the needs of SAARC member nations.[1][4] In his a visit to Nepal in August 2014, Narendra Modi announced developing a satellite to assist India’s neighbors.[5]
Even before becoming the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi hinted that his foreign policy will actively focus on improving ties with India's immediate neighbours which is being termed as Neighbourhood first policy in the media[6][7] and he invited all heads of state/heads of government of SAARC countries in his Swearing-in ceremony as Prime Minister of India and held bilateral talks with all of them individually which was dubbed as a mini SAARC summit by the media.[8] One month after sworn in as Prime Minister of India, in June 2014 Modi asked ISRO to develop a SAARC satellite, which can be dedicated as a ‘gift’ to the neighbours. He asked the scientists to work on a satellite that would provide full range of applications and services to all of India’s neighbours.[3][9] Modi said, "There is a lot of poverty in the SAARC nations and we need scientific solutions for this."[4]
In March 2015, ISRO chairman A. S. Kiran Kumar said that configuration of the Saarc satellite will be finalised soon and it will be launched within 18 month.[1]
In his address to the Sri Lankan Parliament in March 2015, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi said "Sri Lanka will take full benefit of India's satellite for the SAARC Region. This should be in Space by December 2016".[3]
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ISRO
