A promise to extend advanced space technology in South Asia fulfilled by launching #SouthAsiaSatellite: PM Modi
#SouthAsiaSatellite would meet the aspirations of economic progress of more than one-and-a-half billion people in our region: PM
With the launch of #SouthAsiaSatellite, Space technology will touch the lives of our people in the region: PM
#ISRO team has led from the front in developing the #SouthAsiaSatellite as per the regions’ requirements & flawlessly launching it: PM

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.

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List of Outcomes: Prime Minister of Japan’s visit to India for the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit
July 02, 2026
Sl. No.OutcomeDescription
1. India-Japan Joint Declaration on Economic Security Promotes project-based collaboration for enhancing joint resilience in key sectors including semiconductors, critical minerals, information and communication technology including AI, clean energy and pharmaceuticals. India-Japan Fact Sheet 2.0 captures growing India-Japan G2G and B2B engagement in this crucial area.
2. India-Japan Joint Statement on Cooperation in the Field of Artificial Intelligence Elevates the India-Japan relationship to a strategic research and development partnership in the AI domain. Building on the India-Japan AI Initiative, the Joint Statement provides a roadmap for greater cooperation across the entire AI technology stack in pursuit of the shared vision of safe, secure, trusted, inclusive, and human-centric AI.
3 Joint Statement on Energy Resilience (between MoPNG and METI, Japan) Strengthens cooperation in strategic stockpiling and reserve mechanisms for crude oil and petroleum products. Promotes collaboration in joint investments across the maritime energy transport value chain.
4. Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of India-Japan Diplomatic Relations Outlines a series of commemorative events to celebrate 2027, the 75th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations, as the India-Japan Year of Shared Horizons
5. Memorandum of Cooperation for India-Japan Cooperative Biogas for Growth (CBG) Initiative Promotes cooperation towards the goal of establishing 1,000 biogas and organic fertilizer plants all across India, leveraging the extensive network of dairy cooperatives.
6. Memorandum of Cooperation in the Field of Batteries Promotes cooperation in battery-related projects and expands business opportunities with an aim of building a trusted, resilient and sustainable battery supply chain.
7. Memorandum of Cooperation in the Field of Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Sector Strengthens pharma supply chains, including in Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and Key Starting Materials (KSMs), through promotion of bilateral investment and business linkages, technical collaboration and industry-academia collaboration.
8. Memorandum of Cooperation in the Field of Geology and Mineral Exploration Strengthens cooperation in upstream critical minerals exploration through exchange of technical expertise.
9. Memorandum of Cooperation between IndiaAI Mission and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Japan Promotes institutional cooperation between IndiaAI Mission and Japan’s GENIAC initiative – through B2B matchmaking, webinars on AI policies and challenges and support for joint projects through access to computing resources
10. Memorandum of Cooperation on Next Generation Mobility Partnership (NGMP) Establishes a framework for operationalizing the Next Generation Mobility Partnership (NGMP) which was announced at the 15th Annual Summit in August 2025. The NGMP would accelerate private sector-led cooperation and investment in mobility sectors including rail, automotive and road infrastructure, aviation, shipbuilding and ports, logistics, and urban development, positioning India as a hub for “Make in India for the World” exports to third countries.
11. Memorandum of Understanding between India’s Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) and RIKEN, Japan Establishes a framework for academic, translational research and start-up oriented innovation in deep-tech and life sciences, covering healthcare, agriculture and environment.
12. Memorandum of Understanding between National Center for Biological Sciences-Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and RIKEN, Japan Creates a framework for cooperation in basic biological and neuroscience research between the two leading research institutions
13. Memorandum of Understanding between IIT Bombay, BharatGen Technology Foundation and National Institute of Informatics, Japan Furthers collaboration on large language models (LLMs), with a focus on developing LLMs for enhanced scientific reasoning, through joint research exchanges
14. Memorandum of Understanding between SarvamAI and Preferred Network on LLM Development Creates a framework for cooperation across the full AI technology stack, including foundation models.
15. Memorandum of Understanding Between National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) and Japan Network Information Center (JPNIC) Promotes cooperation in National Internet Registry operations, IPv6 adoption, internet security improvements, capacity building, student/professional exchanges and exchange of views on internet governance at regional and global forums.
16. Exchange of Letters Between International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) and Financial Services Agency, Japan (JFSA) Establishes a framework for cooperation in development, regulation and supervision of financial services as well as information exchange on financial-market trends and best practices, particularly in FinTech and RegTech.