PM Modi invites global partners to join India's next space frontier at Paris summit

New Delhi, Sep 10 (AHN) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday invited France and other countries to partner with India in its next phase of space exploration, highlighting the rapid growth of the country's space capabilities and the emergence of a vibrant private space sector.

Addressing the first International Space Summit in Paris via video conferencing, PM Modi said India's space programme is guided by the philosophy of global cooperation and the belief that the benefits of space technology should reach all humanity.

He said India's approach is rooted in Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam or One Earth, One Family, One Future and called for a safe, secure, peaceful and sustainable space domain based on international law, dialogue and multilateral cooperation.

"Cooperation over confrontation, sustainability over short-term gain, and inclusion over exclusion" should guide the future of the global space sector, the Prime Minister said.

Highlighting India's achievements, PM Modi said the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has earned global recognition for delivering cost-effective missions and technologies that support farmers, fishermen, weather forecasting, disaster management and navigation.

He further noted that more than 430 satellites from 34 countries have been launched aboard Indian rockets, reflecting growing international confidence in India's space capabilities.

Moreover, PM Modi credited generations of Indian scientists, engineers and technicians for building ISRO's global reputation through decades of successful missions.

He also underscored recent milestones, including Chandrayaan-3 becoming the first mission to achieve a soft landing near the lunar south pole and the Aditya-L1 mission's efforts to study the Sun.

Looking ahead, PM Modi reiterated India's long-term ambitions, including establishing an Indian space station by 2035 and sending an Indian to the Moon by 2040.

The Prime Minister said India's private space ecosystem is expanding rapidly, complementing ISRO's achievements and contributing to the country's growing presence in the global space economy.

"Alongside ISRO, India's private space sector is also surging in a big way. The energy of enterprise is joining the excellence of ISRO," he said.

PM Modi also highlighted the longstanding space partnership between India and France, noting that cooperation between the two countries dates back to the early years of India's space programme in the 1960s.

Today, the collaboration spans areas such as Earth observation and advanced technologies, says PM Modi adding that India welcomes France and other nations as partners in the country's future space endeavours.