Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India plans to build its own space station during his Independence Day address at the Red Fort on Friday.
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He referred to astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla’s recent 18-day mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), noting, “Shubhanshu Shukla is back from a successful space mission and will soon return to India.” Shukla joined the Axiom-4 private mission, launching from Florida on June 25 and docking at the ISS a day later. With three crewmates – Peggy Whitson (US), Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary) – he carried out over 60 experiments and 20 outreach sessions during the 18-day stay.
He said India is striving for self-reliance in the space sector and is preparing to launch Gaganyaan, the country’s flagship human spaceflight programme. “We will make our own space station,” he stated.
The prime minister added that recent reforms have led to the emergence of over 300 start-ups in the space sector.
“Thousands of youth are working on it. This is the power of our youth... This is the confidence we have in our youth,” PM Modi added
Modi highlights push for ‘self-reliance’
{{/usCountry}}“Thousands of youth are working on it. This is the power of our youth... This is the confidence we have in our youth,” PM Modi added
Modi highlights push for ‘self-reliance’
{{/usCountry}}Stressing on the importance of self-reliance, PM Modi said, “Very important to achieve self-reliance in critical minerals, we are moving ahead in this area in high speed.” He added, “We have decided to make India self-reliant in energy; taking several initiatives in solar, hydrogen, nuclear sectors.”
Modi also stated, “We are bringing more reforms in nuclear energy sector, opened it for private participation,” and highlighted the role of self-reliance in national achievements, saying, “Had we not been self-reliant, would India have been able to carry out Operation Sindoor so successfully?”
It is time to prove our mettle in global markets with quality products: PM Modi.
PM Modi urged citizens to focus on self-improvement rather than criticising others, saying, “We should not waste our energy in belittling others, our focus should be on strengthening ourselves.” ]
He called on traders and shopkeepers to “display boards for ‘Swadeshi’ products” and said, “Need of hour to take a resolve for building a ‘samarth’ (strong) Bharat, just like our freedom fighters had envisioned ‘free India’.”