India’s space journey not about racing others, it’s about reaching higher together: PM Modi

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said “India’s space journey is not about racing others, it is about reaching higher together. Together, we share a common goal to explore space for the good of humanity”.Addressing the Global Conference on Space Exploration (GLEX 2025) via a video message, Modi urged for collective growth via space exploration. “India’s space vision is grounded in the ancient wisdom of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, that is, the world is one family. We strive not just for our own growth, but to enrich global knowledge, address common challenges, and inspire future generations,” he said.Modi said India is marching ahead with renewed confidence in the field of space exploration and its astronauts’ footprints will be on the Moon. “By 2035, the Bharatiya Antariksha Station will open new frontiers in research and global cooperation. By 2040, an India’s footprints will be on the Moon. Mars and Venus are also on our radar,” he said.“Our first human space-flight mission, ‘Gaganyaan’, highlights our nation’s rising aspirations,” Modi said referring to the mission planned for early 2027 launch. He said in the coming weeks, an Indian astronaut will travel to space as part of a joint Isro-Nasa mission to the International Space Station. The Axiom-4 mission is slated for launch in the first week of June and Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three others will undertake a 14-day sojourn to the orbital laboratory.He recalled that India’s space journey started with the launch of a small rocket in 1963 and became the first nation to land near the South Pole of the Moon. “Our journey has been remarkable. Our rockets carry more than payloads.They carry the dreams of 1.4 billion Indians. India’s achievements are significant scientific milestones. Beyond that, they are proof that the human spirit can defy gravity,” Modi said.Calling India’s space journey “remarkable”, he said, it reflects a “declaration of curiosity, courage, and collective progress” rather than just a “destination”.PM Modi listed space achievements like the successful Mars Mission Chandrayaan-1, Chandrayaan-2, Chandrayaan-3, the launch of cryogenic engines, and satellite docking, calling them “significant scientific milestones”. “We continue to march ahead with renewed confidence, pushing the boundaries of scientific exploration,” he said.“We built cryogenic engines in a record time. We launched 100 satellites in a single mission. We have launched over 400 satellites for 34 nations on our launch vehicles. This year, we docked two satellites in space, a major step forward,” PM Modi said.