South Asia Satellite is India's project, not regional effort: Pakistan

IANS  |  Islamabad 

Pakistan, which has opted out of the South Satellite project, termed the satellite launched on Friday as solely made by and therefore it cannot be called a regional project.

Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said: "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 had made it clear that it would build, launch and operate the satellite solely, the spokesperson added.

He said 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 to support it as a regional project under the umbrella of Saarc."

The South Satellite on Friday blasted off aboard an Indian rocket. The satellite is intended to address the region's "economic and developmental priorities".

--IANS

ahm/rn

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

South Asia Satellite is India's project, not regional effort: Pakistan

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

Pakistan, which has opted out of the South Satellite project, termed the satellite launched on Friday as solely made by and therefore it cannot be called a regional project.

Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said: "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 had made it clear that it would build, launch and operate the satellite solely, the spokesperson added.

He said 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 to support it as a regional project under the umbrella of Saarc."

The South Satellite on Friday blasted off aboard an Indian rocket. The satellite is intended to address the region's "economic and developmental priorities".

--IANS

ahm/rn

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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