Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to develop a satellite which will serve all the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) nations.
The newly elected Indian PM made the call on Monday while addressing Indian space scientists at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota after the successful launch of PSLV C23 rocket, reports Times of India.
Modi said the fruits of India's space missions should reach other developing nations, especially India's neighbours.
"You should develop a Saarc satellite," the Indian PM told the scientists.
"We should dedicate this satellite to our neighbourhood as India's gift ... India is rooted in our age-old ethos of 'Vasudeva Kutumbakom'. Our space science reflects that. We should share the fruit of this with our neighbouring countries."
Modi went around congratulating the scientists after promising bigger thrust on space science.
The prime minister sought to dispel the notion that space science is for the elite.
"This is the biggest mistake some people make. Space science ultimately works to change the lives of the poor ... Space science empowers a child in the farthest village with education.”
"GIS (Geographic Information Systems) has applications in urban planning and watershed development. Space imagery helps in land management, coastal management. It is an invaluable asset in disaster management. By predicting cyclones, it has saved millions of lives," the Prime Minister said.
He called upon space scientists to enlarge the footprints of India's satellite-based navigation system to cover the whole of south Asia.
"Possibilities are limitless, the benefits enormous. We should maximize the use of space science in governance and development," he added.