NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday emphasised the importance of collective efforts, saying that the promise of space is infinite and responsibility is collective. In a virtual address to the International Space Summit organised in Paris, Prime Minister Modi outlined India’s position on the space sector.
Connecting India’s philosophical worldview with outer space, the Prime Minister pointed out that the country’s approach is firmly rooted in the ethos of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, meaning ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’.
The PM also informed the world that India’s own space station would be set up by 2035 and an astronaut sent to the Moon by 2040.
Defining India’s mantra for space, he said, “India’s space journey reflects this philosophy. ISRO, which stands at the heart of this journey, has earned global admiration for its excellence and cost-effective missions. Its capabilities serve farmers and fishermen, weather forecasting, disaster management and navigation”.
He informed the international gathering at the International Space Summit that more than 430 satellites from 34 countries have travelled into space aboard Indian rockets. “And, ISRO’s technologies and partnerships serve not only India, but the wider world”, he asserted.
He also reiterated that ISRO, which stands at the heart of India’s space journey, has earned global admiration for its excellence and cost-effective missions.
Making a strong case for space exploration and technology to serve humanity, Prime Minister Modi said, “We support a safe, secure, peaceful and sustainable space domain anchored in international law, dialogue and multilateral cooperation. Scientific data must serve the common good, with openness and integrity”.
Issuing a broader call for international cooperation, Modi added in his address, “The promise of space is infinite. Our responsibility is collective. As orbits become more crowded, technologies more powerful, and actors more numerous, our choices must be clear: cooperation over confrontation; sustainability over short-term gain; and inclusion over exclusion”.
Attributing ISRO’s success in the space sector and the global trust it has earned to the dedication and hard work of generations of Indian scientists, engineers and technicians, he said, “Working day and night, they have built ISRO’s global reputation mission by mission, success by success, and given India a place of pride among space-faring nations”.
Describing the success of Chandrayaan-3, he said that the mission made India the first nation to land near the lunar South Pole. “Now, Aditya-L1 is unlocking the secrets of the Sun. Last year, an Indian visited the International Space Station”, he said.
Outlining ambitious future targets under India’s national space roadmap, the Prime Minister announced plans to establish an indigenous space station by 2035 and send an astronaut to the Moon by 2040. “In all these efforts, our guiding principle has been clear - their benefits must reach all humanity”, he asserted.
He also highlighted India’s growing space sector, noting that alongside ISRO, the country’s private space industry is also expanding rapidly.
“The energy of enterprise is joining the excellence of ISRO. France has been a trusted partner since the Indian space program began at Thumba in the 1960s. Today, our cooperation spans Earth observation and advanced technologies, uniting scientific excellence with human purpose. We invite France and the world to be co-travellers in India’s next space frontier”, he said.
He called upon the international community attending the International Space Summit to send a unifying message to the world on cooperation in the space sector. Extending an open invitation to international stakeholders, the Prime Minister called upon the global community to participate in upcoming exploratory missions. He welcomed partners from around the world to join hands in pioneering the next wave of cosmic discovery. “We invite France and the world to be co-travellers in India’s next space frontier,” remarked Modi.
The Prime Minister also thanked President Emmanuel Macron for taking a timely initiative and extending a gracious invitation. “Let the Space Summit in Paris send a clear message: we will explore together, innovate together and protect space together, for all humanity, and for generations to come. I convey my best wishes to all the participants”,