Sriharikota, Sep 9 (IANS): A nation's development is a product of its technological prowess, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Sunday after the launch of ISRO's 100th mission.
"Questions are sometimes asked about whether a poor country like India can afford a space programme and whether the funds spent on space exploration, albeit modest, could be better utilised elsewhere.
"This misses the point that a nation's state of development is finally a product of its technological prowess," Manmohan Singh said after Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched an Indian rocket carrying French and Japanese satellites.
"The founding fathers of our space programme faced a similar dilemma, but they persevered in pursuing their vision. When we look at the enormous societal and national benefits that have been generated in diverse fields, there can be no doubt that they were right," he added.