New Delhi, July 15 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi today extended a warm welcome to Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla on his return to Earth following a landmark mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), hailing it as a defining moment in India’s space exploration journey.
Group Captain Shukla, an Indian Air Force officer, became the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS, a milestone that has drawn national pride and international recognition.
In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the Prime Minister wrote: “I join the nation in welcoming Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla as he returns to Earth from his historic mission to Space.
“As India’s first astronaut to have visited International Space Station, he has inspired a billion dreams through his dedication, courage and pioneering spirit. It marks another milestone towards our own Human Space Flight Mission – Gaganyaan.”
Shukla’s mission is widely seen as a key stepping stone toward India’s ambitious Gaganyaan programme, which aims to send Indian astronauts into low Earth orbit aboard an indigenously developed spacecraft.
