PM Modi: We invite France and the world to be co-travellers in India’s next space frontier

Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized India's invitation for France and the global community to join India in advancing its space frontier during the International Space Summit held in Paris. This sentiment echoed his earlier statement at the summit that India and France would collaborate as co-travellers in exploring space. Modi acknowledged France's longstanding partnership with India in the Indian space program, which began at Thumba in the 1960s.

The two nations' cooperation spans various domains, including Earth observation and advanced technologies, uniting scientific excellence with a shared purpose. Modi thanked the French President, Emmanuel Macron, for inviting him to the summit, stating that the event should convey the message of collective exploration, innovation, and space protection for humanity and future generations.

Modi highlighted India's international footprint in the space sector, noting that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched 430 payloads from 34 countries. ISRO's global recognition for its excellence and cost-effective missions was lauded. The Prime Minister then unveiled ambitious future targets for the space agency, including constructing an indigenous space station by 2035 and sending an astronaut to the Moon by 2040.

Modi stressed that these endeavors must be guided by the principle that their benefits should reach all humanity.

In his address, Modi called for global partnerships that prioritize long-term sustainability over short-term gains, as the space environment becomes increasingly crowded, technologies more powerful, and actors more numerous. He emphasized the importance of transparent research, maintaining that ethical sharing of information is crucial for global progress.

Modi invoked the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, or "the whole world is one family," as the guiding philosophy for India's space activities, asserting that ISRO also operates under the same principle.