New Delhi, August 15 – Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his 79th Independence Day address to the nation, spotlighted India’s remarkable strides in the space sector, framing them as a testament to the country’s self-reliance and youthful energy. Speaking from the Red Fort, the Prime Minister declared that the country is steadily moving towards its dream projects—preparing for Gaganyaan, India’s flagship human spaceflight mission, and building its own space station.
“We are all seeing the feat in the space sector, and we are filled with pride,” PM Modi said, beaming as he recounted the successful return of Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla from his mission at the International Space Station (ISS). “In the coming few days, he will be back in India. In space, we are preparing for Gaganyaan, as aatmanirbhar Bharat,” he added, underlining the nation’s growing independence in cutting-edge scientific endeavours.
#WATCH | PM Narendra Modi celebrates India’s achievements in space, noting Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s return from ISS.
He highlights preparations for Gaganyaan, plans for India’s own space station, and over 300 startups engaging thousands of youth, showcasing the strength… pic.twitter.com/ocilD4y7a1
— Organiser Weekly (@eOrganiser) August 15, 2025
The Prime Minister’s announcement of India’s plans to construct its own space station marks a historic leap in ambition. Such a project would place India in an elite club of nations capable of maintaining long-term human presence in space, opening opportunities for scientific research, international collaborations, and commercial ventures.
Lauding the ecosystem of innovation that has blossomed in recent years, PM Modi revealed that over 300 startups are currently working in the space sector. “Among those 300 startups, thousands of youth are working with full capability. This is the strength of the youth of our country, and this is our trust in the youth of our country,” he said, adding that India’s young innovators are playing a pivotal role in turning dreams into reality.
The Gaganyaan mission, targeted for the near future, aims to send Indian astronauts into space aboard an indigenous spacecraft. Coupled with the space station initiative, it reflects India’s shift from being primarily a launch-service provider to becoming a leader in human space exploration.
With Chandrayaan-3’s successful landing on the Moon last year and Aditya-L1’s mission to study the Sun underway, India’s space program has entered a new golden era. PM Modi’s vision places the sector as a cornerstone of the aatmanirbhar Bharat mission—where scientific achievement, national pride, and youth empowerment converge to propel the nation into a leadership role on the global space stage.
