PM Modi Invites France, Other Nations To Partner With India In Future Space Missions

New Delhi , 10 Sep : Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called on France and other nations to join India’s next phase of space exploration, highlighting the country’s expanding capabilities and the growing role of private companies.

Addressing the first International Space Summit in Paris through video conference on Thursday, PM Modi said India’s space programme is built around international cooperation and the wider use of space technology for humanity.

Prime Minister Modi said India supports a space sector based on international law, dialogue and multilateral cooperation. He further called for greater emphasis on cooperation, sustainability and inclusion as countries expand their activities beyond Earth.

PM Modi highlighted ISRO’s record of cost-effective missions and said Indian rockets have carried more than 430 satellites from 34 countries.

The Prime Minister pointed to Chandrayaan-3’s successful soft landing near the lunar south pole and the Aditya-L1 mission’s work to study the Sun as major milestones.

PM Modi reiterated India’s plans to establish an Indian space station by 2035 and send an Indian astronaut to the Moon by 2040. He said the country’s private space industry is expanding rapidly and is adding entrepreneurial capabilities to ISRO’s technological expertise.

The Prime Minister underlined the longstanding space relationship between India and France, which dates back to the 1960s.

Cooperation now covers areas including Earth observation and advanced space technologies. He invited France and other countries to work with India on future space missions and development initiatives.