New Delhi: India’s stellar and historic success in soft-landing the Chandrayaan-3 on the moon’s potentially water-rich southern polar region literally brought scores of congratulatory messages to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) scientists, from the United States, Europe, Russia, Japan, Asian nations, the Gulf and the 32-million-plus Indian diaspora. As the development happened coincidentally during the BRICS Summit where PM Modi was present, it increased its international resonance all the more.

There is no gainsaying the fact that the successful lunar mission has boosted India’s status on the global stage, particularly in all the elite groupings such as BRICS, G20, Quad, SCO, etc. PM Modi’s statement at Johannesburg soon after Chandrayaan-3’s successful landing impressed the global leaders. “The success of Chandrayaan-3 is not only limited to one country, but it is the success of mankind”. An official here said: “The words of PM Modi reaffirm his stature as a statesman who gave a wider perspective to the achievement.”

Diplomatic officials, who are preparing the strategy for the forthcoming G20 summit to be held in New Delhi next month, told The Sunday Guardian that “Chandrayaan-3’s success will give India more power in its mission for getting a permanent UNSC seat, Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership, etc.” “We will be working much harder to capitalise on India’s growing geopolitical clout as a result of our successful lunar mission,” an official said, adding, “the forthcoming G20 summit will witness India’s tremendous clout and profile which has been boosted by the successful lunar mission. PM Modi is all prepared to spotlight the successful lunar mission as a historic and stellar achievement at the conclave here.”

A source said: “PM Modi has already asked External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to activate diplomatic channels and networks to achieve the desired strategic goal.” “India’s success in the lunar mission has come on the back of Russia’s failure despite its greatness as a space power. This also lends more importance to the mission of Chandrayaan-3,” an official said. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin was among the first few global leaders who sent across his congratulatory message to PM Modi as early as possible. UAE Vice President Sheikh Mohammed was also one of them. Putin said, “The historic event is evidence of India’s impressive progress in the scientific-technological sphere.” Putin congratulated President Droupadi Murmu and PM Modi. Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” also congratulated his Indian counterpart on the success of Chandrayaan-3. British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly described it as a historic moment. Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid congratulated India for creating history. Japan PM Fumio Kishida also joined them to congratulate PM Modi.

India has achieved success at a time when it is going to host the G20 summit in September. “India would like to hear more from global leaders during the G20 summit about its success in the lunar mission,” a source said. “Every word that is spoken by the world leaders would be important, as it will mark New Delhi’s growing status and profile in the geopolitical sphere,” an official said. Strategic and foreign policy officials in New Delhi said that India’s successful lunar mission will accelerate a space-race now. There are reports from China that the Communist government in Beijing has convened a meeting of its scientific advisors to give fillip to the country’s lunar missions which have been in the pipeline for a long time now. This is being viewed by diplomats here as Beijing’s panic reaction to the development in New Delhi.