India`s space diplomacy took a giant stride on Friday with the successful launch of the South Asia Satellite GSAT-9, a "gift" to its neighbours that is aimed to provide the one and half billion people of the region with better communication, weather forecasting, tele-medicine and response to disaster management.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and leaders of six South Asian countries -- Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Maldives and Sri Lanka -- came together via video conferencing to hail the launch of the communication satellite from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

All the leaders applauded as at 4.57 p.m., the GSLV-F09 rose into the sky from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota carrying the satellite. Pakistan had opted out, saying it has its own space programme, forcing a change in the name from Saarc Satellite to South Asia Satellite.

In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tasked the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to develop a satellite for use by the Saarc countries.

Costing around Rs 235 crore, the satellite has a life span of over 12 years, and its objective is to provide communication applications in Ku-band for the user nations.

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