National Knowledge Network to be extended to SAARC countries

It is a state-of-the-art multi-gigabit pan-India network for providing a unified high speed network backbone for all knowledge related institutions in the country

The government is in the process of extending India's National Knowledge Network to SAARC countries in order to enhance cooperation in the field of education, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said here today.

The National Knowledge Network (NKN)is a state-of-the-art multi-gigabit pan-India network for providing a unified high speed network backbone for all knowledge related institutions in the country.

"We are in the process of extending our National Knowledge Network to all SAARC countries which will allow students in South Asia to access digital libraries and networking sources unimpeded. SAARC Satellite will also benefit the region in education and research," she said at the ground breaking ceremony of South Asian University (SAU).

"Cooperation in the field of education will be of paramount importance if we are to ensure improvement in the inter-linked destinies of the people of South Asia. We are taking several steps in this direction including through the use of modern means of communication," she added.

The international university is sponsored by the eight member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Recalling how the varsity was set up, Swaraj said, "The university owes its genesis in India's initiative at the 13th SAARC summit in Dhaka when India had offered to host the varsity. Our objective was to start a university dedicated to the region with world class facilities, professional faculty and diligent students and brilliant researchers."

SAU started admitting students in 2010, at a temporary campus at Akbar Bhawan here. 100 acres of land has been allocated by the government for a permanent campus in Maidangarhi while the operational expenditure will be borne by the governments of partner SAARC member states.