Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Monday told Parliament that the government spent ₹548 crore on India’s participation in the Axiom-4 mission, which carried Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS). Shukla, who returned to India on August 17, became the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS.
The disclosure came during a Lok Sabha discussion on the future of India’s space programme. Singh said the Axiom-4 mission was not only a historic milestone but also a step toward the country’s larger vision of space leadership.
He outlined the government’s roadmap:
- 2026: An uncrewed mission with humanoid robot Vyommitra
- 2027: India’s maiden human spaceflight Gaganyaan
- 2035: India’s own Bharat Antariksh Station
- 2040: An Indian astronaut landing on the moon
Singh credited reforms initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi since 2014, including the 2020 decision to open the space sector to private players. He noted that India’s space economy has already grown to $8 billion and is projected to reach $45 billion within the next decade.
The proceedings, however, were disrupted by Opposition protests over the special revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. Amid the uproar, the House managed to pass a resolution sending the Jan Vishwas Bill to a select committee and introduced a Bill to set up a new IIM in Guwahati.
Shubhanshu Shukla’s return and the government’s disclosure of the ₹548 crore spend on Axiom-4 mark a defining moment for India’s space journey, as the country sharpens its focus on human spaceflight and long-term exploration goals.
