NEW DELHI: Eleven Indian satellites including four for communications were successfully launched during the last three years between January 2012 and February 2015, apart from the launch of 13 foreign satellites.

Out of these, the expenditure incurred on launching the Indian satellites being used for communications in the last three years was pegged at Rs 1656.11 crore. The breakup is as follows: GSAT-14: Rs 173 crore, GSAT-10: Rs 406.82 crore, GSAT-7: Rs 495.29 crore and GSAT-16: Rs 581 crore.

There are a total of eleven communication satellites out of the 27 satellites that are operational in the country currently.

These are: INSAT-3A, INSAT-3C, INSAT-4A, INSAT-4B, INSAT-4CR, GSAT-7, GSAT-8, GSAT-10, GSAT-12, GSAT-14 and GSAT-16.

A total of six communication satellites namely GSAT-15, GSAT-9, GSAT-6, GSAT-6A, GSAT-7A and GSAT-11, are being developed indigenously as part of the XII Five Year Plan (2012-17).

A total of 95 Ku-band (a part of K band) transponders onboard indigenous communication satellites are being utilised for various communication applications.

Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s office Jitendra Singh told Parliament that the government is also working on resolving the connectivity issues in the hilly areas.