DATE=  9/29/97

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-220536

TITLE=INDIA SATELLITE (L)

BYLINE=DOUGLAS BAKSHIAN

DATELINE=NEW DELHI

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO:  INDIA'S SPACE PROGRAM HAS TAKEN A MAJOR STEP.  V-O-A NEW 

DELHI CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS BAKSHIAN REPORTS THAT FOR THE FIRST 

TIME, INDIA HAS USED ITS OWN ROCKET TO LAUNCH A MAJOR SATELLITE. 



TEXT:  THE ROCKET BLASTED OFF MONDAY MORNING FROM SRIHARIKOTA 

ISLAND IN THE SOUTHEAST OF THE COUNTRY.  IT CARRIED A SATELLITE 

THAT WILL TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS OF EARTH WHICH CAN BE USED FOR 

PURPOSES INCLUDING CROP MANAGEMENT AND TOWN PLANNING.



IN THE PAST INDIA HAS RELIED ON THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY TO SEND

LARGE TELECOMMUNICATIONS SATELLITES INTO ORBIT AND HAS USED ITS 

OWN ROCKETS TO LAUNCH MUCH SMALLER SATELLITES.



MANOJ JOSHI, DEFENSE EDITOR OF INDIA TODAY MAGAZINE, SAYS THE 

LATEST LAUNCH IS AN IMPORTANT STEP. 



                        //  JOSHI ACT // 



         THIS INDICATES THAT INDIA HAS NOW REACHED A CERTAIN 

         LEVEL OF MATURITY IN ITS ABILITY TO LAUNCH (LOWER) ORBIT

         SATELLITES. AND COMMERCIALLY THIS IS A BIG SEGMENT 

         THAT'S GOING TO OPEN UP, THAT IS OPENING UP A WHOLE 

         RANGE OF APPLICATIONS FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS.



                         //  END ACT //



PRIME MINISTER INDER KUMAR GUJRAL, WHO WITNESSED THE LAUNCH, SAID

HE WAS PROUD OF THE SCIENTISTS FOR THEIR ACHIEVEMENT JUST AS 

INDIA IS CELEBRATING ITS 50TH YEAR OF INDEPENDENCE FROM BRITISH 

RULE.    



INDIAN NEWS AGENCIES REPORT MR. GUJRAL CALLED ON THE UNITED 

STATES TO REVISE ITS EMBARGO POLICY ON THE TRANSFER OF STRATEGIC 

TECHNOLOGY TO INDIA.  MR. GUJRAL SAYS HE MADE THE POINT VERY 

CLEARLY IN HIS MEETING WITH PRESIDENT CLINTON LAST WEEK IN NEW 

YORK. 



MR. GUJRAL ALSO SAID THAT RESEARCH IN DEFENSE AND CIVIL AREAS 

SHOULD BE LINKED SO THAT SOCIETY CAN BENEFIT AS A WHOLE.  HE SAID

NO  ONE CAN STOP INDIA FROM DEVELOPING ITS MISSILE PROGRAM, WHICH

HE DESCRIBED AS PROCEEDING ON SCHEDULE.



OBSERVERS SAY INDIA'S SPACE PROGRAM SUFFERED A SETBACK IN 1993 

WHEN THE UNITED STATES PERSUADED RUSSIA TO STOP TRANSFERRING 

ROCKET TECHNOLOGY TO NEW DELHI, FEARING IT MIGHT BE USED FOR 

MILITARY PURPOSES. 



THE UNITED STATES HAS EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT AN ARMS RACE IN 

SOUTH ASIA BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN.  THE NATIONS HAVE FOUGHT 

THREE WARS AND BOTH HAVE A NUCLEAR CAPABILITY. (SIGNED)



NEB/DAB/MMK



29-Sep-97 8:55 AM EDT (1255 UTC)

NNNN



Source: Voice of America

.