Watch: India will build its own space station, says PM Modi in Independence Day speech

In a big push to self-reliance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on India’s 79th Independence Day that the country is working on building its own space station under the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision.

PM Modi congratulated Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla on the success of the Axiom Mission 4, where he spent 20 days at the International Space Station (ISS). The mission,  launched with the collaboration of NASA, SpaceX, ISRO, and Axiom Space, is part of India’s preparations for Gaganyaan 2027.

India reportedly spent Rs 548 crore for Shukla’s seat, as part of the Gaganyaan mission, which has a total budget of Rs 20,000 crore aimed at sending three astronauts into low Earth orbit following a series of uncrewed test flights. Prime Minister Modi also highlighted that over 300 start-ups are now actively contributing to the country’s growing space sector.

India’s space ambitions have expanded significantly in recent years, with milestones such as the successful Chandrayaan-3 lunar landing and the launch of the Aditya-L1 solar mission. These achievements not only demonstrate technological capability but also position India as a competitive force in global space exploration. The government continues to promote private sector involvement and international collaboration to accelerate innovation and expand the nation’s presence in space.