India Charts Bold Space Roadmap: Moon Mission by 2040, Bharatiya Space Station by 2035
Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Dr Jitendra Singh addresses the International Conference on Space 2025 in New Delhi on Monday.
New Delhi, September 8: Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Dr Jitendra Singh said on Monday that India is entering a transformative phase in its space journey, with milestones ahead that include establishing a Bharatiya Space Station by 2035 and landing an Indian astronaut on the Moon by 2040. He was speaking at the inaugural session of the International Conference on Space 2025, themed “Harnessing Space for Global Progress: Innovation, Policy, and Growth.”
Expanding Frontiers
Recalling the success of Chandrayaan-3, which made India the first nation to land near the lunar south pole, Dr Singh said the country is now preparing for new missions to Mars, Venus, and asteroids, in addition to the human spaceflight programme Gaganyaan. He also praised Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian Air Force officer to travel to the International Space Station, as a symbol of India’s rising space ambitions.
Startups Driving Reforms
The Minister highlighted that over 300 startups are now active in the sector, engaged in launch vehicles, satellites, propulsion, and ground systems. These reforms, he said, have opened space to private enterprise and academia, fueling innovation, job creation, and new investments. “Startups are the backbone of India’s space reforms,” he emphasised.
Everyday Applications
Dr Singh underscored that the true value of space lies in its impact on daily life, from precision agriculture and healthcare to education, urban development, and governance. “Space must empower every sector and serve the common citizen,” he noted, adding that the application of space technologies will strengthen governance and public service delivery across India.
Partnerships and Talent
He also reaffirmed India’s commitment to global cooperation, citing partnerships like the joint NASA–ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission with the US and the Chandrayaan-5 lunar mission with Japan. Skill development remains a core pillar, he said, pointing to ISRO’s outreach, academic centres of excellence, and industry–academia collaborations that are training the next generation in satellite design, propulsion, AI-driven applications, and space law.
Building Ecosystems
Organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the conference drew over 500 delegates from India and abroad, including policymakers, academics, industry leaders, and startups. Dr. Singh welcomed the creation of CII’s National Committee on Space as a forum to bring together established enterprises and new-age innovators to build a robust ecosystem.
He concluded by invoking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision that the 21st century belongs to India, with space emerging as a frontier of leadership. “India’s space journey is one of perseverance and innovation. Let us dream together, innovate together, and build together — transforming space from a distant frontier into a shared horizon of unity and progress,” he said.
