Describing the simultaneous placement of 36 OneWeb satellites into orbit a week ago as a major feat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the move would strengthen digital connectivity across the country.

In his Mann Ki Baat address, Mr. Modi said, “With the help of this, even the remotest areas will be more easily connected with the rest of the country.”

The Prime Minister said that after the space sector had been opened up, revolutionary changes had started coming into it. Domestic industries and start-ups were bringing innovations and new technologies. Non-governmental companies were getting the facility to launch their payloads and satellites through IN-SPACe, he said.

Stating that today’s youth had been exhibiting immense problem-solving skills, Mr. Modi noted that on October 14 and 15, all 23 Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) came together to showcase their innovations and projects. Over 75 best projects on themes such as healthcare, agriculture, robotics and semiconductors to 5G communications were on display.

Mr. Modi spoke about a farmer from Tamil Nadu’s Kancheepuram who benefited from the Pradhan Mantri Kusum Yojana and had a solar pump set installed in his farm.

A team of tribal women in Anaikatti, Coimbatore, had crafted 10,000 eco-friendly terracotta teacups for export. “...some villages of Tripura have ascended to the level of Bio-Village 2. Bio-Village 2 emphasises how to minimise the damage caused by natural disasters,” Mr. Modi said.

The PM says that

opening up space sector for the youth has brought in

a revolution

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