India’s Union Cabinet approved funding for the development and launch of the GSAT-6/Insat-4E satellite, the government announced Dec. 1.

The spacecraft, which will be built by the Indian Space Research Organisation, is intended to provide digital multimedia broadcasting services to mobile phones and vehicles, as well as provide a test platform for technologies such as a large unfurlable antenna.

The project is expected to cost about 2.69 billion Indian rupees ($58.7 million), with launch scheduled for 2008 aboard India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle.