Kathmandu, May 11

Nepal is yet to work out how to reap benefits from South Asia Satellite that India launched as a ‘gift’ to her neighbours on May 5.

Developed and funded entirely by Indian Space Research Organisation, the communication satellite aims to provide participating countries television services and communications technology for bank ATMs and e-governance, and may even serve as a backup for cellular networks, especially in places where the terrestrial connectivity is weak, according to India’s Ministry of External Affairs.

Nepal and India signed a MoU in March 2016, stating Nepal had no objection to the launching of the satellite and Nepal was eager to benefit from it.

The Nepali side, however, has yet to decide what exactly it wants from the satellite and how to get it.

“We are yet to decide which services we’ll use and what will be its modality,” said Bhrigu Dhunga, who heads the South Asia Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi organised a video conference on the launching of the SAS, when heads of state or government of the participating countries — Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka — exchanged congratulatory messages. On the occasion, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal expressed his confidence that SAS would help boost connectivity among South Asian countries and help elevate public life in the region. He stressed on taking the best possible benefits from the satellite services, as it would help provide communication services in the mountainous and hilly regions of Nepal.

A senior technical officer of the Ministry of Information and Communications told THT that Nepal had to upgrade existing facilities and create new ones to get SAS services. He also pointed out the need of trained human resources to install necessary facilities and operate SAS system in Nepal.

“We are keen to utilise Indian space technology in all applicable sectors,” the office stated.

The Indian side has so far offered to provide at least one transponder with a bandwidth of 24,000 to 36,000 MHz, for which Nepal has to set up hub stations at several places.

A senior diplomat at the Embassy of India in Kathmandu told this daily that Nepal would get two transponders on this satellite, and India would provide necessary training and orientation. According to the diplomat, Nepal can better use these transponders for telecommunication, TV, mobile telephony, disaster risk assessment, telemedicine, tele-education and weather forecasting.

India has already proposed to impart training to Nepali engineers at ISRO headquarters in Bangalore, but the Nepali side is yet to respond to the proposal.

During the SAARC summit in Kathmandu in November 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the launching of SAARC satellite for the benefit of members of the regional grouping. Later, when Pakistan refused to take its services India renamed it as South Asia Satellite, solely owned and operated by India.

India to help with know-how, training

• The Indian side has offered to provide at least one transponder with a bandwidth of 24,000 to 36,000 MHz, for which Nepal has to set up hub stations at several places. Nepal may get two transponders, according to a senior staffer in Indian Embassy
• India has proposed to impart training to Nepali engineers at ISRO headquarters in Bangalore, but the Nepali side is yet to respond

READ ALSO:

• South Asia satellite launched
• India calls satellite 'gift to South Asia', Pakistan says no thanks