Mumbai: India has launched a pilot project of an ambitious e-network initiative which will connect 53 nations of the continent via satellite.

The pilot project for tele-education and tele-medicine under the Rs542.9 crore pan-African programme was inaugurated by external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee in Addis Ababa.

A brainchild of president APJ Abdul Kalam, the programme aims at bridging the digital divide in Africa and develop the continent''s information and communication technologies by eventually connecting all the 53 countries by a satellite through a fibre-optic network.

Ethiopia, South Africa, Ghana and Mauritius will be the initial beneficiaries of the project, said to be the largest infrastructure project in Africa''s history.

State-run Telecommunications Consultants India Ltd is implementing the project.

The tele-medicine project will connect hospitals in Ethiopia with top-notch healthcare institutes in India while the tele-education programme would provide an opportunity to Ethiopian students to get higher education at low cost from top quality Indian institutions.

The e-network project "continues the tradition of India''s close partnership with the countries of Africa in their developmental efforts aimed at the well being of their people," Mukherjee said at the launch of the pilot project.

Kalam had in 2004 proposed the project during his visit to South Africa. The government also signed a memorandum of understanding with African Union in 2005 to formalise the project, which was also approved by the Union cabinet.

"Education and knowledge are the prime drivers of economic and social development and through this project, we will be able to strengthen our cooperation with Ethiopia in this critical field," Mukherjee said inaugurating the tele-education project at the Addis Ababa University .

"Students would not have to leave the country. The programme is expandable," he said and expressed happiness at Ethiopian government''s desire to extend the programme to 20 more universities and colleges in the country.

Health security is a prime requirement of any society and this will help strengthen New Delhi ''s cooperation with Addis Ababa in this vital sector, he said.

"The tele-medicine programme will bring benefits of healthcare closer to the people. Patients will no longer be required to travel to far off places to avail expensive and expert medical advise," he added.