NEW DELHI, 15 AUG

India is working towards becoming self-reliant in the space sector and preparing for the launch of Gaganyaan, its indigenous human space flight mission, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday.

Addressing the 79th Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort, he said India was also working on developing its space station and recalled that Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla had returned recently from a space mission.

"Our Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has returned from the space station. In the coming days, he is returning to India," Modi said.

The prime minister said it was a matter of pride that India has been making strides in the space sector, and 300 start-ups were working only in this sector.

"This is the strength of the youth of the country and our confidence in them," Modi said.

Endorsing his views, Lt Gen A K Bhatt (retd), Director General of Indian Space Association (ISpA), said the prime minister’s plan to open up India’s space sector has been a true game-changer.

"Backed by progressive reforms such as the Space Policy, liberal FDI push and strong government support, the industry has grown multi-fold in just five years," he said.

Bhatt said the surge in space startups and their achievements reflects an unprecedented wave of innovation and ambition among our youth.

"With this momentum, we are confident of achieving the goal of a USD 44 billion space economy by 2033 and cementing India's position among the world’s leading spacefaring nations. This is not just growth, it’s a national movement inspiring every Indian to aim higher and reach for the stars," he said.

The government's progressive reforms and unwavering support have truly empowered young companies like ours to innovate across the value chain, Krishanu Acharya, CEO and Co-Founder, Suhora Technologies, said.

"We believe that fostering both upstream advancements, like satellite manufacturing and launches, and robust downstream capabilities in space-based services will be crucial for India's leadership in the global space economy," he said.

ISRO is working on India's first indigenous human spaceflight mission -- Gaganyaan -- which is expected to be launched in 2027.

The first module of India's space station is planned for launch in 2028 and a full-fledged Bharatiya Antariksh Station by 2035.

Shukla was part of the Axiom-4 private space mission that lifted off from Florida on 25 June and docked at the International Space Station on 26 June. He returned to Earth on 15 July.

Along with three other astronauts -- Peggy Whitson (US), Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland), and Tibor Kapu (Hungary) -- Shukla conducted over 60 experiments and 20 outreach sessions during the 18-day mission.