India's rockets carry dreams of 1.4 billion people: PM Modi

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that India’s rockets carry the dreams of 1.4 billion people. He described India’s first human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, as a reflection of the nation’s aspirations in space technology. He added that as part of an upcoming joint mission, an Indian will soon travel to space. The Prime Minister was speaking via video conference at the Global Space Exploration Conference.

“Space is not merely a destination; it is a declaration of collective progress driven by curiosity and courage,” Modi said. He highlighted how India's journey—from launching a small rocket in 1963 to becoming the first country to land near the Moon’s south pole—demonstrates this spirit. He noted that India developed cryogenic engines in a short period, launched 100 satellites in a single mission, and successfully deployed over 400 satellites for 34 countries using Indian launch vehicles.

Modi also hailed India's recent success in enabling the docking of two spacecraft in orbit, calling it a significant milestone in space exploration.

He concluded by affirming that by 2040, an Indian astronaut would set foot on the Moon, and that Mars and Venus would remain key targets in India’s future space ambitions.