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Shukla, the first Indian astronaut to travel to the ISS, met PM Modi at his official residence on Monday for a special interaction after his return to India
Shukla returned to India early Sunday to a rousing welcome by a large number of people waving the tricolour and beating drums at the airport here to celebrate his historic visit to the International Space Station (ISS). (Photo: X/@narendramodi)
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that people across the world are eager and enthusiastic about India’s Gaganyaan mission.
Shukla, the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station (ISS), met PM Modi at his official residence on Monday for a special interaction after his return to India.
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“Wherever I went, whoever I met, everyone was very happy to meet me, very excited. The biggest thing was that everyone knew about what India is doing in the field of space,” Shukla told PM Modi during their interaction.
“Everyone knew about this, and there were many people who were more excited about Gaganyaan than me, who were coming and asking me when your mission is going.”
#WATCH | Delhi: During his interaction with PM Modi, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla said, “Food is a big challenge on a space station, there is less space, and cargo is expensive. You always try to pack as many calories and nutrients as possible in the least space, and… pic.twitter.com/oxZwaQ9HLv— ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2025
Shukla said his crewmates have asked to be invited to the launch of the Gaganyaan mission.
India’s first crewed spaceflight under the Gaganyaan programme is currently scheduled for the first quarter of 2027, according to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Gaganyaan is India’s first indigenous human spaceflight programme, designed to send Indian astronauts into low Earth orbit (around 400 km above Earth) for a multi-day mission before safely returning them via splashdown.
Shukla’s Candid Talks With PM
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, who flew on the Axiom-4 commercial mission from June 25 to July 15, presented PM Modi with the mission patch and shared images he had captured from the International Space Station (ISS).
Shukla said that the Axiom-4 mission was a success, adding that it’s not the end, as it marks a new beginning.
“When I joined the Air Force, I thought that I would not have to study, but I will have to study a lot after that. And after becoming a test pilot, it becomes a discipline of engineering. So I think we were well prepared, when we reached for this mission…The mission has been successful, we have returned, but this mission is not the end, it is the beginning.”
During the interaction, PM Modi said that India must have a big pool of astronauts. “The biggest work would be that we should have a very big pool of astronauts, 40-50 people.”
The Axiom-4 mission, launched from Florida on June 25, carried four astronauts — Shukla, Peggy Whitson (US), Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland), and Tibor Kapu (Hungary).
The spacecraft docked with the ISS on June 26. Shukla returned to Earth on July 15 and reached India on Sunday.
During the 18-day stay in orbit, the crew conducted more than 60 scientific experiments and held 20 outreach sessions.
PM Modi had earlier spoken to Shukla on June 29, soon after the mission began, asking him to document his training, experiences, and lessons at the ISS to support India’s upcoming human spaceflight programme, Gaganyaan.
Speaking at a press briefing on August 1 after his return to India, Shukla said he had completed the assignment given by the prime minister.
“I remember very well the homework given to me by the prime minister,” Shukla said.
“And I completed it very well. I am very excited to come back and share it with you all. I am confident that all that knowledge is going to prove extremely useful and crucial for us, for our own Gaganyaan mission.”
About the Author
Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be…Read More
Ronit Singh, Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking News team. He has a keen focus on Indian politics and aims to cover unexplored angles. Ronit is an alumnus of Christ (Deemed to be… Read More
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