TFP Bureau, New Delhi, August 23, 2025: Union Minister for Science & Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh on Saturday painted a bold picture of India’s space future, declaring that in 2040 an Indian will make the announcement of “Viksit Bharat 2047”from the surface of the Moon — a symbolic moment that will echo across the universe, sending a powerful message that India has truly arrived as a global space power.
Speaking at the National Space Day celebrations held at Bharat Mandapam, Dr. Singh said India’s space programme has always gone beyond rockets and satellites. “It has been about empowering people, improving lives, and shaping a better future,” he said, describing the day as both a celebration of achievements and a reflection on future possibilities.
Roadmap for Next 15 Years
The Minister revealed a comprehensive 15-year roadmap that will guide India’s space journey up to 2040 and beyond. The plan envisions the launch of over 100 satellites, 70 per cent of them small satellites, through a mix of government-led technology missions and private sector-driven operational missions.
Dr. Singh recalled that the roadmap stemmed from the recently concluded National Meet 2.0, which followed nearly 300 interactions with user departments and produced close to 90 documents spanning over 5,000 pages. These, he said, will form the bedrock for integrating space applications into governance and national development programmes.
Highlighting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2014 vision of expanding the use of space technology in governance, Dr. Singh said the results today are evident in areas such as agriculture, disaster management, housing, infrastructure, and land mapping through drones.
Private Sector as a Driving Force
The Minister emphasized that India’s space sector is now entering a transformative phase, opening unprecedented opportunities for private enterprises and start-ups. Once the preserve of government, space technology is now being developed by hundreds of Indian start-ups that are innovating in fields ranging from interplanetary exploration to AI-driven satellite applications.
“The opening of the sector has created a new wave of entrepreneurship. Today, India is not just a participant but a global contributor, with other nations looking to us to add value to their missions,” he noted.
Students at the Forefront of Innovation
National Space Day also served as a platform to celebrate the next generation of innovators. Dr. Singh presented awards to winners of the Bharatiya Antariksh Hackathon 2025 and the ISRO Robotics Challenge – URSC 2025 (IRoC-U 2025).
The hackathon drew over 61,000 students across 8,744 teams, competing on problem statements in geospatial technologies, space science, image processing, and AI/ML. The finale showcased the creativity of India’s youth, with the top 30 teams engaging in a 30-hour marathon before the best three were declared winners.
The ISRO Robotics Challenge focused on the theme “Fly me on Mars”, encouraging students to design autonomous aerial navigation systems for GPS-denied environments, a capability vital for interplanetary missions.
“These young minds are shaping India’s future in space,” Dr. Singh said, underscoring that such platforms provide invaluable hands-on experience and align with India’s long-term vision of building indigenous technologies for planetary exploration.
Human Spaceflight and Future Missions
The highlight of the event was the presence of India’s four astronauts preparing for the Gaganyaan Mission — Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, Group Captain Angad Pratap, and Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla. Their participation, Dr. Singh said, was a reminder that India’s human spaceflight programme is no longer a dream but a reality in progress.
Dr. V. Narayanan, Secretary, Department of Space and Chairman of ISRO, briefed the gathering on upcoming missions. He outlined India’s ambitious timeline that includes:
- Human-robot mission ‘Vayumitra’ in 2025
- Gaganyaan human spaceflight in 2027
- Chandramitra lunar mission in 2028
- Chandrayaan-4 and a Venus mission in the following years
- Bharat Antariksh Station by 2035
- Indian astronaut on the Moon by 2040
These initiatives, he said, will not only consolidate India’s role in space exploration but also accelerate progress toward the nation’s larger developmental vision.
‘Aryabhatta to Gaganyaan’ – Blending Heritage with Innovation
This year’s theme — “Aryabhatta to Gaganyaan: Ancient Wisdom to Infinite Possibilities” — reflects India’s unique strength of combining traditional knowledge with cutting-edge technology. Dr. Singh said that research and experiments carried out in space — from biotechnology to life sciences — would have applications far beyond India, benefitting humanity at large.
A Stepping Stone to Viksit Bharat 2047
Concluding his address, Dr. Singh reiterated that India’s achievements in space are not an end in themselves but stepping stones to the grander vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. “National Space Day is a reminder that science, innovation, and public welfare must come together to build our future. In 2040, when an Indian on the Moon declares Viksit Bharat, it will mark not only the success of our space programme but also the arrival of India as a developed nation,” he affirmed.
