Prime Minister Narendra Modi has declared in Melbourne that India is not resting on the success of Chandrayaan and is advancing ambitious space programs, including the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission and the development of its own space station.
He emphasised that India’s achievements in space exploration reflect the country’s belief in continuous progress, guided by the motto “Grow More, Achieve More”.
Addressing the Indian diaspora at the “Melbourne Meets Modi” event, the Prime Minister reminded the audience that India had successfully landed Chandrayaan on the Moon’s south pole, a feat no other country has achieved.
He stressed that India was not satisfied with this alone and is now preparing to send the Gaganyaan mission into space while also working towards building its own space station.
Modi highlighted India’s focus on innovation, science and technology, noting that the country is transforming its innovation ecosystem while learning from global advancements.
He praised Australia’s contributions to global innovation, citing cochlear implants, Wi-Fi technology, cervical cancer vaccines, flight black boxes and secret ballot voting as examples of innovations that have made the world better. He said India is similarly reshaping its science, technology and innovation landscape.
The Prime Minister pointed to India’s efforts to nurture innovation among young students through initiatives such as Atal Tinkering Labs. He explained that more than 10,000 of these labs are now operating in Indian schools, encouraging scientific thinking and creativity from an early age. He added that in the last 12 years India has become the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem.
Modi underlined the scale of India’s startup growth, stating that the country now has more than two lakh registered startups, with over 4,000 new ventures being registered every month. He noted that hundreds of startups are working in sectors such as defence and space, which were previously closed to private participation but have now opened new opportunities for entrepreneurs.
He gave the example of an Indian space start-up preparing to launch a satellite using its own rocket for the first time. Skyroot Aerospace recently announced the upcoming test flight of its Vikram-1 orbital rocket, named Mission Aagaman.
This mission marks a major milestone in India’s private space sector as the first private orbital rocket launch. The company confirmed that the mission is scheduled to launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre between 12 July and 4 August 2026.
The Vikram-1 test flight aims to place a payload into a 450 km Low Earth Orbit with a 60-degree inclination. Skyroot stated that the vehicle has been fully stacked at India’s historic First Launch Pad, signalling the start of preparations for the mission.
Modi’s remarks were delivered to a crowd of around 30,000 people, making it perhaps the largest such event ever held in Australia by any leader. His speech followed a high-level summit with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Melbourne, which marked a significant expansion of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two nations.
The visit, spanning 8 to 10 July, culminated in 18 major outcomes across defence, maritime security, energy, critical technologies, education, mining, research and cultural cooperation.
These agreements significantly broadened the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, reinforcing the growing strategic alignment between the two countries.
The Prime Minister’s address in Melbourne not only celebrated India’s achievements in space and innovation but also underscored the country’s determination to push boundaries in science, technology and entrepreneurship.
His remarks linked India’s space ambitions with its start-up ecosystem and international collaborations, presenting a vision of a nation striving for global leadership in innovation and progress.
ANI
