Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, has congratulated Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and the Axiom-4 mission team for their successful docking at the International Space Station (ISS). Talking to the media, Dr Singh said that Shubhanshu Shukla stands at the threshold entrance of ISS, waiting to step in for a 14-day sojourn as the world watches with excitement and expectation.

Highlighting India’s crucial role in the mission, the Minister remarked that it has been entrusted to perform the crucial parts of the expedition, particularly those related to life sciences, exploring the potential of any habitat, micro-gravity and various impacts to human physiology in space. He added that this will have a critical bearing on all future expeditions across the world.

Dr Singh noted that the experiments and observations to be done by Shubhanshu Shukla will give India a leg-up in fields of Space agriculture, space biology and space medicine. He mentioned that India is already firmly present on the global platform and this historic step with further strengthen its footing.

Speaking about India’s other space missions, Dr Singh said that the experience of docking and undocking through Gaganyan and Chandrayan missions will add to its cumulative knowledge, which will be crucial in setting up India’s space station – the Bhartiya Space Station in 2035. He added that space technology has today entered every Indian household, from agriculture to healthcare, from railway accident prevention to setting up smart cities.

Talking about India’s space talent, the Minister said that India is now realising the dreams and potential it has been nurturing from the time of Vikram Sarabhai and Satish Dhawan. He credited this to the nation’s scientists along with able leadership, transformational changes and strategic policy-making. Dr Singh pointed out that the Space Sector will have a pivotal role in fulfilling India’s potential of becoming a 5-trillion-dollar economy.