‘It is possible’: PM Modi, Shubhanshu Shukla discuss India’s space ambitions

PRime government minister Narendra Modi discussed republic of india’s upcoming blank projects, the challenges of lifetime in electron orbit, and the potential of indigenous research to aid both astronauts and food security on Earth during his meeting with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla on Monday, after he returned from the Axiom space mission in collaboration with NASA.In the video released of the interaction, the Prime Minister says, “The most important task before us will be to have a large pool of astronauts. We should have 40–50 people ready,” noting that Shukla’s journey would inspire children to believe that becoming an astronaut is now a realistic career path in India.Shukla agreed, saying, “In today’s Bharat, the child does not merely dream, he knows it is possible, that there is an option, and that he can indeed become one.”Shukla described the physical and psychological adjustments required in space, noting that while the body has strength, the brain must adapt to a new environment. “The body has strength, the muscles have strength, but the brain has to be rewired… it has to understand again that this is a new environment, and that to walk here, this much effort or strength will be required,” he said.He explained that astronauts face slower heartbeats in microgravity and, on returning to Earth, cannot immediately walk unaided despite being healthy.On living conditions in space, Shukla said that seating arrangements during launch remain fixed for nearly 24 hours, but once in orbit astronauts may unstrap and float inside the capsule. Though the space was limited, he described it as ‘better than the cockpit of a fighter jet’.Food, he said, remains a major challenge. Highlighting experiments with Indian crops, Shukla explained: “To grow these (moong and fenugreek) is very simple; they do not require many resources on a space station. Just place a little water in a small dish, leave them, and within eight days sprouts start appearing very well, Sir. I saw them growing on the station itself. These are the secrets of our country, I would say, Sir. As soon as we got the opportunity to do micro-gravity research, these too reached there. Who knows, this might solve our food security problem.”The Prime Minister also asked about international reactions to India’s progress in space. Shukla said his colleagues “were very happy to meet me, very excited to speak… Most importantly, everyone knew about Bharat’s progress in the field of space. Many people were even more excited about Gaganyaan than I was.” He noted that fellow astronauts even requested his signature, saying they wished to ride on India’s future spacecrafts.Shukla attributed his preparedness to rigorous training in the Indian Air Force and as a test pilot, describing it as ‘practically like an engineering discipline’. He said his mission was not the end but ‘the beginning’, and recalled that after his previous meeting with the Prime Minister, colleagues joked about the ‘homework’ Modi had assigned him.Looking ahead, Shukla emphasised the significance of Gaganyaan and the Bharatiya Space Station (BAS), adding that self-reliance in space technology and manufacturing would be crucial.Shukla echoed this, saying, “It could be a very powerful tool—if there were a space station led by Bharat, but with participation from other nations too.” He further credited government commitment for sustaining India’s space ambitions: “Even after failures, if such support is forthcoming, and the whole world is watching, then certainly, sir, we have both the capacity and the position to acquire a leadership role in this field.”The interaction ended with Shukla sharing photographs taken from orbit, pointing out Bengaluru, Hyderabad, the Himalayas, flashes of lightning, and sunrise from space.Shukla’s mission, which was launched from Florida on June 25 and docked with the ISS a day later, concluded with his return to Earth on July 15.During his 18-day stay in orbit, he and his fellow astronauts Peggy Whitson (US), Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland), and Tibor Kapu (Hungary) carried out more than 60 scientific experiments and 20 outreach activities.