His Excellency President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan,
Her Excellency Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh,
His Excellency Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay of Bhutan,
His Excellency President Abdulla Yameen of Maldives,
His Excellency Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal of Nepal,
His Excellency President Maithripala Sirisena
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Namaskar!
Excellencies,
Today is a historic day for South Asia. A day without precedence. Two years ago, India made a promise.
A promise to extend the advanced space technology for the cause of growth and prosperity of our brothers and sisters in South Asia.
The successful launch of the South Asia Satellite marks the fulfilment of that. With this launch we have started a journey to build the most advanced frontier of our partnership.
With its position high in the sky, this symbol of South Asian cooperation would meet the aspirations of economic progress of more than one-and-a-half billion people in our region. And, extend our close links into Outer Space.
Excellencies
I am immensely grateful to my fellow leaders from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives and Sri Lanka for joining me today to celebrate this launch.
I also deeply appreciate the strong and valuable support extended by your governments, without which this project would not have been possible. Our coming together is a sign of our unshakeable resolve to place the needs of our peoples in the forefront.
It shows that our collective choices for our citizens will bring us together for: cooperation, not conflict; development, not destruction; and prosperity not poverty.
Excellencies
This is first of its kind project in South Asia. And, through this, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and India will together achieve:
effective communication;
better governance
better banking and
better education in remote areas;
more predictable weather forecasting and efficient resource mapping;
linking people with top end medical services through tele-medicine and
a quick response to natural disasters.
Space technology will touch the lives of our people in the region.
The satellite would provide services specific to individual countries as per their own needs and priorities, as also common services.
In achieving this goal, I congratulate the space science fraternity of India, and in particular the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
The ISRO team has led from the front in developing the South Asia Satellite as per the regions' requirements, and flawlessly launching it.
Excellencies
As Goverments, our most important task is to secure growth, development and peace for our people and communities.
And, I am convinced that when we join hands and mutually share the fruits of knowledge, technology and growth, we can speed up our development and prosperity.
I thank you all for your presence. And, congratulate you once again in our shared success!
Thank you; Thank you very much.
Today is a historic day for South Asia...a day without precedence: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
Two years ago, India made a promise: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
A promise to extend the advanced space technology for the cause of growth and prosperity of our brothers and sisters in South Asia: PM
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
With this launch we have started a journey to build the most advanced frontier of our partnership: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
We extend our close links into Outer Space: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
Grateful to fellow leaders from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives & Sri Lanka for joining me to celebrate this launch: PM
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
Our coming together is a sign of our unshakeable resolve to place the needs of our peoples in the forefront: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
Through this we will achieve effective communication, better governance, better banking services & better education in remote areas: PM
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
Space technology will touch the lives of our people in the region: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
ISRO team has led from the front in developing the South Asia Satellite as per the regions' requirements and flawlessly launching it: PM
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
Convinced that when we join hands & mutually share fruits of knowledge, technology & growth, we can speed up development and prosperity: PM
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
Through this cooperation, we have to work for the poor and the deprived: President @ashrafghani
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
Development must be citizen centric. Today's development is child centred and women centred, it makes governance accessible: President Ghani
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
This is an extremely important step to know nature and nature's patterns: President @ashrafghani
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
Happy to be able to talk to PM @narendramodi & other esteemed leaders: PM Sheikh Hasina
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
On today's auspicious occasion, I congratulate the Government of India (for the successful launch): PM Sheikh Hasina
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
Betterment of our people can happen through fruitful engagement: PM Sheikh Hasina
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
Launch of the South Asia satellite historic moment for the world, it ushers in a new era of regional cooperation: Bhutan PM @tsheringtobgay
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
My heartfelt thanks to the visionary leader, PM Modi for dedicating it to the common progress of the South Asian region: PM @tsheringtobgay
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
Launch of this satellite, our satellite, augurs well for our region and for nations like Bhutan: PM @tsheringtobgay
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
This gift from India is an example of true friendship and cooperation. It will bring common progress of our region: PM @tsheringtobgay
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
Gives me immense pleasure to be a part of this occasion. On behalf of the Maldives my gratitude to PM Modi & India: President Abdulla Yameen
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
This launch is an example of India's 'neighbour first policy': President Abdulla Yameen @presidencymv
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
We must work for common good, better economic opportunities: President Abdulla Yameen @presidencymv
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas', says President Abdulla Yameen @presidencymv
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
We extend hearty congratulations to PM Modi and Government of India. This will enhance connectivity: PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
This will be helpful to provide communication services in the mountain and hilly regions of Nepal: PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
It is an honour to congratulate you on this historic occasion: Sri Lanka President @MaithripalaS to PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
This initiative will provide assistance to many priority areas of the region: Sri Lanka President @MaithripalaS on South Asia satellite
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
May this initiative support people in all regions, enhance economic conditions & help eliminating poverty: President @MaithripalaS
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
I thank each one of you for your words: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
This launch tells us that even the sky is not the limit when it comes to regional cooperation: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) May 5, 2017
