Indian astronauts' footprints will be on Moon; Mars, Venus also on radar: PM Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that India was marching ahead with renewed confidence in the field of space exploration and its astronauts' footprints will be on the Moon.

Mars and Venus were also on the the country's radar for exploration missions, he stressed in a pre-recorded message for the Global Space Exploration Conference (GLEX-2025).

Modi said for India, space was about exploration as well as empowerment, and listed out plans to set up the Bharatiya Anatariksh Station by 2035 and land an Indian astronaut on the Moon by 2040.

"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," he said in the video message that was recorded on Tuesday.

He said India has launched a satellite for the South Asian nations and the G20 satellite, announced during its presidency of the grouping, will be a gift to the Global South.

"Our first human space-flight mission, 'Gaganyaan', highlights our nation's rising aspirations," Modi said referring to the mission planned for early 2027 launch.

The prime minister said in the coming weeks, an Indian astronaut will travel to space as part of a joint ISRO-NASA Mission to the International Space Station.

The Axiom-4 mission is stated for launch on May 29 and Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three others will undertake a 14-day sojourn to the orbital laboratory.

The GLEX-2025 is organised by the International Astronautical Federation and the Indian Space Research Organisation.

"Space is not just a destination. It is a declaration of curiosity, courage, and collective progress. India's space journey reflects this spirit," Modi said.

"By 2035, the Bharatiya Antariksha Station will open new frontiers in research and global cooperation. By 2040, an Indian's footprints will be on the Moon. Mars and Venus are also on our radar," he said.

He recalled that India's space journey started with the launch of a small rocket in 1963 and became the first nation to land near the South Pole of the Moon.

"Our journey has been remarkable. Our rockets carry more than payloads.They carry the dreams of 1.4 billion Indians. India's achievements are significant scientific milestones. Beyond that, they are proof that the human spirit can defy gravity," Modi said.

He said India made history by reaching Mars on its first attempt in 2014, Chandrayaan-1 helped discover water on the Moon, Chandrayaan-2 gave the world the highest-resolution images of the Moon and Chandrayaan-3 increased the understanding of the lunar South Pole.

"We built cryogenic engines in a record time. We launched 100 satellites in a single mission. We have launched over 400 satellites for 34 nations on our launch vehicles. This year, we docked two satellites in space, a major step forward," Modi said.