Pakistan says South Asia Satellite is solely India’s project, not regional effort

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)

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.”

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”.