MUMBAI: All-India Radio (AIR) is all set to expand global services for its Indian audience, which will cover Japan, Germany and Canada.

The AIR is planning to launch the services for several countries, including some in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), with an aim to support the government's outreach programmes and diplomatic efforts to the Indian diaspora, PTI reported AIR's external services division director Amlanjyoti Mazumdar as saying.

The ESD aims to keep the listeners in touch with the ethos of India, also highlighting business opportunities. Maldives and South Africa are also among the countries AIR plans to reach to, it added.

At present, the ESD covers around 150 countries with programmes in 27 languages, of which 14 target neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia.

Mazumdar said that Pakistan had increased its presence in African countries through its new radio services, and India could not work in "silos".

Meanwhile, Arunachal Pradesh deputy chief minister Chowna Mein said that the state would give every possible support for the improvement of AIR services in the state, the Arunachal Times reported.

Mein, who launched the extended Arun FM Transmission at AIR Itanagar on Sunday, said that Arun FM (103.1 MHZ) will be an effective medium for dissemination of information on government activities, programmes and policies. He said that he would urge the central government to establish radio stations with FM transmission in all the districts.

Arun FM is a part of an initiative started by AIR DIG to improve the quality of broadcast. Arun FM will air its own programmes from AIR Itanagar for seven hours, which will be extended to at least 13 hours of broadcast on its own 10 KW transmitter very soon, which will give aerial coverage of at least 40km radius.