Indian Astronaut To Travel To ISS Soon Under ISRO-NASA Mission, Says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a significant statement during his video presentation at the Global Conference on Space Exploration 2025 in Delhi: as part of a joint ISRO-NASA mission, an Indian astronaut would soon visit the International Space Station (ISS).

In the upcoming weeks, the mission is scheduled to take place. PM Modi outlined India's long-term space goals, stating that an Indian will have stepped foot on the moon by 2040 and that the country would establish its own Bharatiya Antariksha Station by 2035. He stated that India has aspirations to explore Mars and Venus in the future.

Modi underlined that space is about empowerment for India as much as it is about discovery. From alerting fisherman to supporting platforms like GatiShakti, railway safety, and weather forecasting, he emphasised how satellites are playing a critical role in boosting livelihoods, strengthening government, and guaranteeing public welfare.

The Prime Minister also praised the growth of India's commercial space industry, pointing out that more than 250 space start-ups are now working on advancements in imaging, propulsion, and satellite technology.

In addition to being a place to visit, he characterised space as a representation of human progress, bravery, and curiosity. He stated that Indian rockets today carry the dreams of 1.4 billion people, looking back at the country's path from launching its first modest rocket in 1963 to being the first to land close to the Moon's South Pole with Chandrayaan-3.

Modi cited significant events as India's successful first effort at sending a mission to Mars in 2014, Chandrayaan-1's finding of water on the Moon, and Chandrayaan-2's provision of high-resolution lunar pictures.

Additionally, he emphasised the G20 Satellite Mission as a gift to the Global South, which was announced during India's G20 leadership. According to Modi, India's first human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, demonstrates the nation's expanding space aspirations. He said in closing that India's space mission is about moving forward together, not about competing with others.

The Prime Minister also discussed NISAR, a NASA-ISRO collaboration on Earth observation. In order to record a wider variety of Earth changes than each agency could independently, the project makes use of two specialist radars that were supplied by both organisations.