New Delhi, August 23, 2026: India’s achievements in space exploration took centre stage on Sunday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah marked National Space Day by applauding the country’s scientists and encouraging a stronger focus on innovation.
Taking to X, Prime Minister Modi extended his greetings to citizens and called for India to continue setting bigger goals in the field of science and space exploration.
“Happy National Space Day! Here's to dreaming even bigger, innovating more and pushing newer frontiers....,” PM Modi said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also used the occasion to remember one of the defining moments in India’s space programme the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon in 2023.
In his message on X, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the occasion celebrates the achievement of India’s space scientists and their contribution to the country’s growing presence in global space exploration.
National Space Day is observed on August 23 to mark the successful landing of the Chandrayaan-3 mission on the lunar surface in 2023.
The mission achieved a major breakthrough for India when the Vikram lander successfully completed a soft landing in the Moon’s southern polar region. Following the landing, the Pragyan rover was deployed to carry out experiments and gather scientific information from the lunar surface.
The success of Chandrayaan-3 was particularly significant because India became the first country to successfully land in the region near the Moon’s south pole. The achievement also established India among the nations capable of carrying out controlled soft landings on the lunar surface.
Beyond celebrating the historic mission, National Space Day seeks to create greater awareness about space science and inspire the next generation to take an interest in research, technology and innovation.
The occasion also reflects India’s expanding ambitions in the space sector, with ISRO continuing to work on a range of missions aimed at strengthening the country’s capabilities in space exploration and advanced technology.
Through their messages, PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah highlighted the contribution of Indian scientists while urging the country’s younger generation to dream bigger and contribute to India’s scientific and technological progress.
As India continues to expand its footprint beyond Earth, the success of Chandrayaan-3 remains an important milestone in the country’s journey towards becoming a stronger global force in space exploration.
