India's space journey not about racing others, but grounded in 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam': PM Modi

New Delhi, May 7 (IANS) India’s space journey is not about racing others, but is grounded in ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, that is, the world is one family, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday.

Amid increased race in space exploration by global powers, PM Modi urged for collective growth via space exploration at addressing the Global Conference on Space Exploration (GLEX 2025) via a video message.

"India’s space journey is not about racing others. It is about reaching higher together. Together, we share a common goal to explore space for the good of humanity," PM Modi said.

“India’s space vision is grounded in the ancient wisdom of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, that is, the world is one family. We strive not just for our own growth, but to enrich global knowledge, address common challenges, and inspire future generations,” he added.

Calling India’s space journey “remarkable”, he said, it reflects a “declaration of curiosity, courage, and collective progress” rather than just a “destination”

“From launching a small rocket in 1963 to becoming the first nation to land near the South Pole of the Moon, our journey has been remarkable,” the Prime Minister said, noting that more than “payloads” the country’s rockets carry “the dreams of 1.4 billion Indians”.

PM Modi listed space achievements like the successful Mars Mission Chandrayaan-1, Chandrayaan-2, Chandrayaan-3, the launch of cryogenic engines, and satellite docking, calling them “significant scientific milestones”.

“We continue to march ahead with renewed confidence, pushing the boundaries of scientific exploration,” he said.

He also announced upcoming missions like a human space-flight mission, ‘Gaganyaan’, this year, a joint ISRO-NASA mission to the International Space Station, setting up the Indian Space Station by 2035, and a Moon mission by 2040.

“Mars and Venus are also on our radar,” the PM said.

In addition to “exploration”, the country’s space journey is also about “empowerment”, the Prime Minister said.

“It empowers governance, enhances livelihoods, and inspires generations. From fishermen alerts to the GatiShakti platform, from railway safety to weather forecasting, our satellites look out for the welfare of every Indian,” he said.

The PM urged to “write a new chapter in space exploration, guided by science and shared dreams for a better tomorrow”.

GLEX 2025 is designed to encouraging the sharing of programmatic, technical, and policy information, as well as collaborative solutions, challenges, lessons learned, and paths forward among all nations with the desire to explore space.

--IANS

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