PM Modi, who addressed scientists and students on the occasion, said India’s achievements have given it a unique standing in global space exploration.
ISRO on Friday unveiled an ambitious roadmap for India’s space programme, announcing plans for a Bharatiya Antriksh Station (BAS) by 2035, a Moon sample return mission by 2040, and a series of pathbreaking missions over the next two decades.
ISRO chairman V Narayanan, speaking on National Space Day, said: “Based on the Prime Minister’s vision, we are going to have Chandrayaan-4 and a Venus Orbiter Mission. By 2028, we will launch the first module of BAS, which will be fully operational by 2035.” He added that work on a Next Generation Launcher (NGL) has also been approved. “By 2040, India will not only land on the Moon but also bring samples back safely. At that point, our space programme will be at par with any leading space agency in the world.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who addressed scientists and students on the occasion, said India’s achievements have given it a unique standing in global space exploration. “Achieving new milestones one after another in the space sector has become the nature of India and Indian scientists,” PM Modi said. “Just two years ago, India created history by becoming the first country to reach the South Pole of the Moon. We have reached the Moon and Mars, and now we have to take a peek into deep space.”
The Prime Minister recalled his recent interaction with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who hoisted the tricolour aboard the International Space Station. “The moment when he showed me the tricolour is beyond words,” PM Modi said. “In him, I saw the immense courage and infinite dreams of New India’s youth. To take these dreams forward, we are preparing India’s own astronaut pool, and I invite young friends to join and give wings to India’s aspirations.”
He also highlighted India’s progress in semi-cryogenic engines and electric propulsion technologies, and praised initiatives like the Indian Space Hackathon and Robotics Challenge to inspire the next generation.
National Space Day, observed annually, celebrates India’s historic space milestones while charting its course toward the future – one that now includes a space station, deep space missions, and interplanetary exploration.
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