“Historic moment for India”: PM Modi welcomes Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla back to Earth
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the moment as one of national pride, calling Shukla's mission a “historic achievement” and a “source of inspiration for a billion dreams.”
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India's journey from launching satellites to sending humans into space took a giant leap as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla safely returned to Earth after a successful stint aboard the International Space Station.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the moment as one of national pride, calling Shukla's mission a “historic achievement” and a “source of inspiration for a billion dreams.”
Shukla, who flew as part of the Axiom-4 mission, is the first Indian astronaut to have ever boarded the ISS, a precursor to India’s ambitious Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme. “His courage, dedication and pioneering spirit mark another milestone in our pursuit of excellence in space,” the PM said.
Union Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, echoed similar sentiments, noting that India has now found “an enduring space in the world of Space.” He emphasized the groundbreaking nature of the mission, particularly the life-bearing experiments conducted in microgravity, an achievement never attempted before by an Indian astronaut.
The successful splashdown in the Pacific Ocean marks the conclusion of a mission that not only demonstrated international collaboration with Axiom Space, NASA and SpaceX but also symbolized India’s growing capability and ambition in the space sector.
All crew members will now undergo a week-long quarantine and debrief with mission partners. According to government sources, Shukla is expected to return to India on August 17, where a hero’s welcome awaits.
