Pakistan says South Asia Satellite is solely India’s project, not regional effort | World News - Hindustan Times
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Pakistan says South Asia Satellite is solely India’s project, not regional effort

Islamabad | ByIndo Asian News Service
May 05, 2017 09:04 PM IST

Pakistan Foreign Office said India was not willing to develop the project on a collaborative basis, so it was not possible for Pakistan to support it as a regional project under the umbrella of Saarc.

Pakistan, which has opted out of the South Asia satellite project, termed the launch of GSAT-9 satellite on Friday as solely made by India and therefore it cannot be called a regional project.

ISRO’s communication satellite GSAT-9 on-board GSLV-F09 lifts off from Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota on May 5.(PTI Photo)
ISRO’s communication satellite GSAT-9 on-board GSLV-F09 lifts off from Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota on May 5.(PTI Photo)

Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said: “Pakistan has its own space programme at an advanced level and is ready to share its expertise and technological know-how and was keen to participate in the (Indian) project.”

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But India had made it clear that it would build, launch and operate the satellite solely, the spokesperson added.

He said India offered to “gift” a satellite to Saarc member states, to be named as the “SAARC Satellite”. But it was not willing to develop the project on a collaborative basis, so it was not possible for Pakistan to support it as a regional project under the umbrella of Saarc.”

The GSLV-F09 rocket carrying the GSAT-9 satellite blasted off around 4:57 pm from the second launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. The satellite is intended to address the region’s “economic and developmental priorities”.

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