Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh, while addressing a press briefing in Delhi, hailed the mission as a transformative milestone. “With the safe return of Shubhanshu Shukla, India has not only joined the elite club of nations capable of independent human spaceflight, but has also found a lasting space in the world of space,” he said.
He emphasized that the Gaganyaan mission would serve as a springboard for future ambitions, including a space station by 2035 and potential lunar exploration by the late 2030s. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), in collaboration with HAL, DRDO, and multiple academic partners, developed the Gaganyaan spacecraft indigenously. The mission has drawn global praise for its cost-effective execution and scientific value.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a message shared on X (formerly Twitter), wrote: “Welcome home, Shubhanshu! You have inspired a generation and reaffirmed India’s place among the stars.” Shukla, a trained IAF test pilot and mission specialist, expressed his gratitude to the mission team and the nation: “It’s an honor to serve India. From the silence of space, what echoed most was the sound of 1.4 billion hopes.”
With this success, India cements its position as a rising space power—both ambitious and self-reliant—ready to chart new frontiers in human exploration.