'Jai Hind' echoes in space, as Indian enters orbit after 41 years

Business Standard

5 days ago

Evoking patriotic feelings across the nation, Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla's message from space — 'Jai Hind! Jai Bharat!' — resonated on Wednesday, nearly 41 years after Rakesh Sharma's iconic words 'Saare Jahan Se Achcha' captured the hearts of millions.
Shukla made history on Wednesday when Axiom Mission 4 to the International Space Station (ISS) lifted off a little after noon from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission is the first since Sharma's journey aboard Russia's Soyuz spacecraft in 1984 to be sponsored by the Indian government — a precursor to its ambitious Gaganyaan mission. The Indian Space Research Organisation is reportedly spending Rs 550 crore on the mission.
'Namaskar, my dear countrymen! What a ride! We are back in space once again after 41 years. It's an amazing ride. We are revolving around the Earth at a speed of 7.5 kilometres per second,' Shukla said.
The successful launch is likely to be a boost for Indian private sector space majors such as Larsen & Toubro, Tata and Ananth Technologies, while startups like Dhruva Space, Bellatrix Aerospace, Skyroot and Agnikul Cosmos are also expected to benefit from increased activity in the sector.
'The Tiranga embossed on my shoulders tells me that I am with all of you. This journey of mine is not a beginning to the ISS but to India's Human Space Programme,' he said.
This comes at a time when a recent FICCI-EY report projected India's space sector to grow from around $8.4 billion in 2024 to $44 billion by 2033.
Shukla will become the first Indian to reach the ISS on Thursday, after an approximately 28-hour journey.
The Axiom-4 mission is a commercial venture between the Houston-based Axiom Space and NASA. The 14-day mission includes crew members from the US, Poland and Hungary, and will feature around 60 intensive research experiments representing 31 countries, seven of which have been proposed by Indian researchers.
'The Indian astronaut, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, is on the way to become the first Indian to go to the International Space Station. He carries with him the wishes, hopes and aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians,' said Prime Minister Narendra Modi. President Droupadi Murmu called the mission a demonstration of the Sanskrit ideal 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', meaning the world is one family. 'He and his fellow astronauts of Axiom Mission 4 from the US, Poland and Hungary prove the world is indeed one family — Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,' she said.
Launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket, the Crew Dragon C213 capsule carried Shukla into low Earth orbit. He is one of the four astronauts shortlisted for India's maiden human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, currently slated for late 2026 or early 2027. His role on Ax-4 is to pilot the Dragon spacecraft and to bring home crucial operational experience for the Gaganyaan programme.
'We are proud and happy to see Shubhanshu Shukla become the second Indian to travel to space. This journey is a testament to the growing global footprint of India in space exploration and is a stepping stone to what we want to achieve with Gaganyaan, our own indigenous human spaceflight programme,' said A K Bhatt, director general, Indian Space Association (ISpA).
'India is now in the final stages of preparation for the Gaganyaan mission, with firms like Larsen & Toubro, Tata and Ananth Technologies playing a critical role alongside our vibrant startups. If all goes as planned, we are just one or two years away from realising the dream of sending Indian astronauts to space on an entirely indigenous platform. The success of missions like Axiom-4 inspires our ecosystem and strengthens our resolve to make India a leading force in the new era of space exploration,' Bhatt added.
It was on February 27 last year that Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the names of the four astronauts who would carry India's spaceflight ambitions: Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair, Ajit Krishnan, Angad Prathap and Shukla.
'This mission marks a big step for India, not just in human spaceflight, but also for our growing private space industry. At Bellatrix Aerospace, we share this spirit of pushing and redefining boundaries. We believe missions like this will inspire the next generation of innovators and help build a strong, self-reliant space ecosystem,' said Yashas Karanam, co-founder and chief operating officer, Bellatrix Aerospace.
According to media reports, research is also being contributed by ESA (Europe), NASA and Hungary's HUNOR programme. Polish experiments will investigate neurofeedback, gut microbiome changes and wearable health technology, while Hungary will explore cognition, motor skills and even fruit fly resilience.
As per industry estimates, India's share of the global space market will quadruple from 2 per cent to 8 per cent by 2033. However, the sector will need a net investment of $22 billion to reach that target. A group of around 300 startups are already working to make this a reality through various segments such as propulsion systems, launch vehicles and satellite design. Even legacy mapping companies like MapmyIndia are joining the action by providing geospatial solutions and navigation technology.