I am happy to learn that the 5th launch of India's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle, GSLV-F04, has successfully placed the latest communication satellite, INSAT-4CR in orbit today evening from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. The spectacular launch of the GSLV-F04 has been witnessed by the whole nation. The nation is justly proud of the scientific and technological capabilities of our space scientists.

With this launch we have reaffirmed our capabilities to not only build state-of-the-art communication satellites, but also to launch them using an indigenously designed and developed launch vehicle. I am happy that ISRO has been able to overcome the problem faced in the last mission within the shortest possible time.

I congratulate all the scientists and technicians associated with the launch and wish them even greater successes in the future.

Manmohan Singh

Prime Minister of India