SPACE EXPERIMENTS BY SUBHANSHU SHUKLA DEPICT INDIA AS ‘VISHWA BANDHU’ BHARAT: Dr. JITENDRA SINGH

SPACE EXPERIMENTS BY SUBHANSHU SHUKLA DEPICT INDIA AS ‘VISHWA BANDHU’ BHARAT: Dr. JITENDRA SINGH

20-AUG-ENG 8

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

PATNA------------------------Union Minister of Science & Technology (Independent Charge), Minister of Earth Sciences (Independent Charge) and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that the space experiments conducted by Subhanshu Shukla depict India as “Vishwa Bandhu” Bharat as these experiments, though conducted by an Indian using indigenous equipment, will benefit the entire mankind. These experiments were primarily related to life sciences and plant physiology.

Initiating a discussion on “Critical Role of Space Programme for Developed India by 2047” in Lok Sabha today, Dr Jitendra Singh emphasised that Group Captain Subhanshu Shukla’s mission is not only a symbolic victory but also a demonstration of India’s growing capability in low-cost space technology, international collaboration and indigenous innovation.

Dr Jitendra Singh described the presence of India’s first astronaut on the International Space Station (ISS) as a “historic milestone” and termed this achievement as a step towards becoming a developed India by 2047.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that the ISS mission, undertaken at a fraction of the global cost, demonstrates India’s ability to combine intellectual resources with advanced scientific planning. He said that this success reflects the talent of our scientists and the favourable environment created by the reforms opening up the space sector for private participation. He said that over 300 space startups are now contributing to India’s rapidly growing space economy.

Dr Jitendra Singh emphasised that the experiments conducted by Shubhanshu Shukla during his stay on the International Space Station—in life sciences, agriculture, biotechnology and cognitive research—were designed and developed in India, strengthening the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. He said that the benefits of these studies will be applicable not only in space but also in health, agriculture, disaster management and urban planning.

Speaking on the progress of India’s space programme, Dr Jitendra Singh credited the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for providing the policy ecosystem that accelerated progress. He cited the announcement made from the Red Fort in 2018 that accelerated India’s human spaceflight ambitions resulting in the current collaborations with NASA, Axiom Space and SpaceX.

Looking into the future, Dr Jitendra Singh said India is on track to achieve several major milestones: Vyommitra human mission in 2026, launch of the first Indian astronaut under the Gaganyaan programme in 2027, an Indian space station by 2035 and an Indian astronaut landing on the Moon by 2040. He told the House that a few years before 2047, a young Indian will announce the arrival of a developed India from the surface of the Moon.

Dr Jitendra Singh said it is not just about an astronaut. It is about India's role in the world and the dreams of every child who aspires to reach the stars.