India is set to make significant strides in space exploration, with plans to establish its own space station, Bharat Antariksha Station, by 2035, and to send an Indian astronaut to the Moon by 2040. These ambitious goals were announced by Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Science & Technology and Space, during a press conference in Delhi on Wednesday.
“We are going to have our own space station, we will be among the first to have that, after the U.S. and one or two other countries. It will be known as Bharat Antariksha Station by 2035. And by 2040, we might be landing an Indian on the surface as well,” Singh said, highlighting India’s evolving role in global space exploration.
The minister also provided updates on the Gaganyaan mission, India’s first human spaceflight program. According to him, the mission is progressing steadily, and the first Indian astronaut under the program is expected to journey into space either by the end of 2024 or early 2026. This development will mark a significant milestone in India’s space endeavors.
Simultaneously, Singh revealed India’s plans for deep-sea exploration through the Deep Sea Mission, which aims to send a human to the seabed at depths of up to 6,000 meters. This mission complements the advancements in space exploration, demonstrating India’s growing interest in exploring both outer space and the deep oceans.
“And while next year ends, or maybe by 2026, we will have the first Indian human being in space, called Gaganyaan, simultaneously also sending one human being down into the seabed, 6,000 meters deep, which is possibly the maximum depth of the sea,” Singh stated, emphasizing the parallel progress in both space and marine research.
India’s achievements in satellite launches have also been notable. Singh highlighted that the country has launched 432 foreign satellites from Sriharikota, with 397 of them being launched in the last decade, accounting for nearly 90% of the total. These accomplishments reflect India’s growing reputation as a reliable and cost-effective player in the global space sector.
In addition to advancements in space technology, Singh discussed the government’s efforts in biotechnology. He referred to the Biotechnology E3 policy, which aims to integrate biotechnology for economic growth, employment generation, and environmental sustainability. The policy underscores India’s commitment to harnessing biotechnology as a driver for the next industrial revolution.
“Prime Minister Modi is very supportive in all these measures, which is, again, evident from the fact that we are among the first countries in the world to have come out with a bio-economy-related policy called Biotechnology E3,” Singh noted, underlining the policy’s significance in transitioning from the IT revolution to a bio-economy-driven industrial transformation.
The minister also shed light on the Deep Sea Mission, which focuses on unlocking the potential of India’s marine resources. He emphasized its importance by mentioning that Prime Minister Modi had highlighted the mission in his Independence Day speeches in both 2022 and 2023, reflecting the government’s prioritization of marine exploration.
India’s advancements in space, biotechnology, and marine exploration collectively underscore the nation’s commitment to becoming a global leader in science and technology by 2047. With ambitious goals like the Bharat Antariksha Station, the Gaganyaan mission, and the Moon landing, coupled with innovative initiatives in biotechnology and marine research, India is poised to make a significant impact on the global stage in the coming decades.
