SAARC
India will launch a dedicated satellite for the eight SAARC countries by December 2016. The two tonne satellite will have 12 Ku band transponders, with each dedicated to one country in the region. The satellite will provide communication, education, tele-medicine, disaster monitoring and other need based services. At the last SAARC Summit in Kathmandu, heads of region agreed to PM Modi’s proposal for such a satellite on the lines of regional satellites in Europe and North America.