- Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla spent 18 days aboard the ISS, conducting India-specific experiments
- ISRO launched the NASA-ISRO NISAR satellite in 2025 to monitor climate and natural disasters
- India aims to launch an indigenous astronaut aboard an Indian rocket from its soil by 2027
Space technology, playing a central role in powering the nation's economy, securing its borders, and uplifting its citizens, is at the heart of India's journey to becoming a 'Viksit Bharat'. As the Lok Sabha prepares to discuss "India's first astronaut aboard the International Space Station, critical role of space programme for Viksit Bharat by 2047", India's space technology's role in already 'Touching Lives' every day cannot be ignored.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), once a modest initiative launched from a church in a fishing village in Thumba, Kerala, has now become a global symbol of frugal innovation and technological excellence.
Enabling ATM transactions, saving lives during cyclones, empowering farmers, to inspiring students, ISRO has been touching lives through everyday business, helping in India's development. ISRO's satellites and missions have become deeply embedded in the fabric of Indian society.
The role of space-based systems will only increase as India embraces a development pathway rooted in indigenously developed innovative systems. Gaganyatri Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla completed his 21st-century space sojourn and is now the new cynosure for India, having become the most travelled Indian, covering over 12 million kilometres and completing 282 orbits of Earth in his 20-day mission.
India's space journey reached a new zenith on August 23, 2023, when the Chandrayaan-3 mission successfully landed near the Moon's South Pole, making India the first country to achieve this feat. This precision landing demonstrated ISRO's mastery in lunar navigation and roving. The Vikram lander even performed a hop experiment, and the propulsion module was later manoeuvred into Earth orbit for extended operation, showcasing India's growing capabilities in deep space engineering.
Building on this momentum, ISRO marked its 100th rocket launch in January 2025 with the deployment of a navigation satellite, highlighting the maturity of India's indigenous cryogenic engine technology. This milestone was followed by the launch of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite on July 30, 2025.
A joint Indo-US Earth observation mission, NISAR, is designed to monitor climate change, natural disasters, and agricultural patterns. Launched aboard India's rocket GSLV F-16, the $1.3 billion satellite features dual-frequency SAR payloads from NASA and ISRO and is expected to revolutionise Earth observation with its ability to detect surface changes as small as a centimetre.
ISRO Chairman Dr V Narayanan hailed NISAR as a symbol of India's technological leadership and global collaboration, emphasising the precision and reliability of India's cryogenic launch systems. The satellite, weighing 2,392 kg, will scan the globe every 12 days, providing all-weather, day-and-night data. Its applications range from monitoring ice sheet movement and soil moisture to disaster response and infrastructure stress. Dubbed a "lifesaving satellite," NISAR is a testament to India's growing prowess in space-based Earth science.
India's human spaceflight program also took a giant leap forward with the Axiom-4 flight, or the Mission Akash Ganga.
On June 25, 2025, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla became the first Indian to travel to space since Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma in 1984. As part of the multinational Axiom-4 mission, Mr Shukla spent 18 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS), conducting seven India-specific experiments. Launched aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9, the mission concluded successfully with a splashdown near San Diego. Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded Mr Shukla's courage and dedication, calling it an inspiration for a billion dreams.
Mission Akash Ganga lays the foundation for India's indigenous human spaceflight program, Gaganyaan, which aims to launch an Indian astronaut aboard an Indian rocket from Indian soil by 2027. The countdown, the rocket, and the astronaut-all will be Indian. This mission will mark India's entry into the elite club of nations with independent human spaceflight capabilities, joining Russia, the United States, and China.
India's roadmap doesn't stop there. Prime Minister Modi has outlined a bold vision: establish the Bhartiya Antariksha Station by 2035 and land an Indian on the Moon by 2040. A precursor to this will be the launch of a space module in 2028. If successful, India will become one of the few nations with a permanent presence in space.
India's lunar legacy is already formidable. Chandrayaan-1, launched in 2008, discovered the presence of water molecules on the Moon, fundamentally altering our understanding of lunar geology. Chandrayaan-2 provided independent images of Apollo mission artefacts, and Chandrayaan-3 made global headlines with its near the South Pole landing, which is now considered the gold rush zone for lunar exploration. The upcoming Chandrayaan-4 mission aims to return samples from the Moon, further cementing India's role in lunar science.
India's interplanetary achievements are equally impressive. It became the first country to reach Mars orbit on its maiden attempt with the Mangalyaan mission. Today, India is studying the Sun 24x7 through the Aditya-L1 satellite, contributing to solar science and space weather forecasting.
The economic impact of India's space program is profound. A 2024 study by European space consulting firm Novaspace, commissioned by ISRO, estimates that the Indian space sector has stimulated the national economy to the tune of $60 billion over the last decade, supported 4.7 million jobs, and generated $24 billion in tax revenues. The report, titled Socio-Economic Impact Analysis of Indian Space Programme, highlights that satellite-based applications have profoundly impacted the social fabric of the nation.
ISRO's current annual budget is about $1.6 billion, while NASA's is $25 billion-15.5 times larger. Yet, India has achieved remarkable feats with limited resources. Since its inception, ISRO has launched over 132 Indian satellites, including those from private operators and academic institutions. India currently has over satellites in orbit. India currently has over 50 satellites in orbit. Three deep space missions-Chandrayaan-2 orbiter, Aditya-L1, and the Chandrayaan-3 propulsion module-were also active.
India has launched 102 rockets and orbited 433 foreign satellites, offering three different rockets for commercial hire. The Indian satellite constellation, valued at approximately Rs 50,000 crore, supports diverse sectors such as weather forecasting, cyclone monitoring, ATM connectivity, crop forecasting, smart city planning, communications, and navigation.
ISRO's satellites help 8,00,000 fisherfolk daily and provide weather forecasts to 1.4 billion Indians. India's spy satellites, with 25 cm resolution, are among the best in the world, capable of reading number plates in enemy territory. These capabilities bolster national security and strategic preparedness. Now, a new private constellation of 12 satellites led by India's start-ups will also help India.
India's space sector is also witnessing a boom in private innovation. Over 300 space start-ups are driving growth, with companies like Agnikul Cosmos and Skyroot Aerospace launching sub-orbital rockets, and Pixxel Aerospace developing high-resolution satellites. A recent study estimates that for every dollar spent on space, India receives a return of $2.52, an "amazing" rate of return, according to financial experts.
ISRO's journey from launching a 715 kg Nike Apache rocket from near a church in Thumba in 1963 to deploying the 6,40,000 kg Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM-3) is a testament to India's resilience and ingenuity. It's a quantum leap from a fishing hamlet to the Red Planet.
As India prepares to celebrate its 100th year of independence in 2047, the vision is clear: an Indian flag flying on the Moon, a space station orbiting Earth, and a thriving space economy contributing to national development. ISRO's story is not just about rockets and satellites-it's about touching lives, empowering citizens, and propelling India toward a future where space is not the final frontier, but a daily reality.
