The Indian Space Research Organisation's GSAT-9 on board the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F09), launches in Sriharikota in the state of Andhra Pradesh. —AFP
印度太空研究组织的地球同步卫星运载火箭，搭载着GSAT-9通讯卫星，在安得拉邦的斯里赫里戈達島发射。
India launched a communications satellite on Friday for its smaller neighbours to share, part of its efforts to build goodwill in the region and counter Chinese influence, but arch-rival Pakistan said it would stay away from the project.印度于5月5日发射了一颗通讯卫星，试图让他的邻居们分享科技成果，以改善外交关系，制衡中国的影响力。然而他的夙敌巴基斯坦却表示并不想参与此一计划。Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who came to office promising to strengthen ties with neighbours such as Sri Lanka, Nepal and even Pakistan, has called the satellite a gift to south Asia.印度总理纳伦德拉·莫迪承诺要加强印度与周边国家例如斯里兰卡、尼泊尔，甚至是巴基斯坦的关系。他把这颗卫星称为给南亚的礼物。“The successful launch of South Asia Satellite is a historic moment. It opens up new horizons of engagement,” he said soon after an Indian-made rocket carrying the satellite lifted off from the Sriharikota space centre in southern India.穆迪在印度成功发射了自制的火箭和卫星后表示：“南亚卫星的成功发射是一次壮举。它让印度参与国际事务的程度上升了一个台阶。”So far Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives have signed up to make use of the satellite. Pakistan said it was working on its own satellite and did not join.目前为止阿富汗、孟加拉、不丹、尼泊尔、斯里兰卡和马尔代夫都签字同意使用这颗卫星。而巴基斯坦则表示他们要自己研发卫星，所以不会参与计划。The South Asia Satellite will offer 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, the Indian foreign ministry said.
印度外交部长表示：南亚卫星能向参与国家提供电视服务和电子金融、行政甚至蜂窝网络服务，特别在一些偏远而信号微弱的地区。India is trying to push back against China's expanding involvement in infrastructure building across south Asia, by offering financial and technical aid of its own.印度试图以财政和科技支援邻国，抑制中国在南海大搞基建而逐渐扩大的影响力，Modi said the leaders of the participating countries had joined him in a video conference to mark the launch.莫迪表示为了纪念发射成功，参与国家的首脑们已经和他进行了一次视频会议。Ties with Pakistan remain difficult, with the Indian government this week accusing Pakistan of killing and then mutilating the bodies of two soldiers on patrol on the disputed Kashmir border, provoking calls for retribution. Pakistan denied the accusation.要保持与巴基斯坦的关系非常困难。在这个星期印度政府才指责巴基斯坦在有争议的喀什米尔地区杀害并损毁的两名巡逻士兵的尸体。这件事令一些民众要求政府向巴基斯坦报复，而巴基斯坦否认了这个指控。