'India is proud of his feat': PM Modi meets Shubhanshu Shukla, discusses his experiences in space

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the Indian Air Force test pilot and astronaut who recently returned from the Ax-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). During the interaction, Shukla presented the Prime Minister with the Indian tricolour he carried into space, a gesture that symbolised India’s rising presence in human space exploration.

During the meeting, Shukla shared his experiences from the mission, including the challenges and excitement of participating in long-duration space operations aboard the ISS. He also highlighted the scientific experiments conducted on board, covering human physiology in microgravity and space agriculture, which have relevance for India’s own human spaceflight program, Gaganyaan.

Prime Minister Modi praised Shukla for his achievements and for inspiring Indians to aim high. In a tweet, the Prime Minister said, “Had a great interaction with Shubhanshu Shukla. We discussed a wide range of subjects including his experiences in space, progress in science & technology as well as India's ambitious Gaganyaan mission. India is proud of his feat.”

Parliament also paid tribute to Shukla on Monday. Union Minister of State for Science & Technology, Jitendra Singh, spoke about the significance of his mission for India’s space goals. Although the Opposition did not participate in the discussion, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor praised Shukla, saying on X, “Since the Opposition are not participating in the special discussion, let me say how proud all Indians are of the recent mission of Commander Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS).”

Shukla took part in the Axiom-4 private space mission, which launched from Florida on June 25 and docked at the International Space Station the next day, June 26. He safely returned to Earth on July 15.