Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday welcomed the successful launch of the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station and said Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla carries with him the wishes, hopes and aspirations of 140 crore Indians.
PM Modi said that Group Captain Shukla will be the first Indian to go to the International Space Station and also lauded the astronauts from Hungary, Poland and the US.
“We welcome the successful launch of the Space Mission carrying astronauts from India, Hungary, Poland and the US. The Indian Astronaut, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is on the way to become the first Indian to go to the International Space Station. He carries with him the wishes, hopes and aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians. Wish him and other astronauts all the success!” PM Narendra Modi`s `X` post read.
We welcome the successful launch of the Space Mission carrying astronauts from India, Hungary, Poland and the US.
The Indian Astronaut, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is on the way to become the first Indian to go to International Space Station. He carries with him the wishes,…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 25, 2025
The Axiom-4 mission, marking the return to space for India, Hungary and Poland, blasted off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida at 12:01 pm on Wednesday.
The astronauts will spend 14 days at the International Space Station conducting over 60 science experiments.
Meanwhile, President Droupadi Murmu said the whole nation is excited and proud of Indian astronaut Subhanshu Shukla`s journey to the stars, as part of the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station.
The wide-ranging experiments to be performed by the crew will lead to new frontiers of scientific studies and space exploration, the president said.
“As Group Captain Subhanshu Shukla creates a new milestone in space for India, the whole nation is excited and proud of an Indian`s journey into the stars. He and his fellow astronauts of Axiom Mission 4 from the US, Poland and Hungary prove the world is indeed one family, `Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam`,” the president said in a post on X.
As Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla creates a new milestone in space for India, the whole nation is excited and proud of an Indian’s journey into the stars. He and his fellow astronauts of Axiom Mission 4 from the US, Poland and Hungary prove the world is indeed one family –…
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) June 25, 2025
“My best wishes for the success of this mission, which reflects the enduring partnership between NASA and ISRO. The wide-ranging experiments to be performed by the crew will lead to new frontiers of scientific studies and space exploration,” Murmu said.
Shukla scripted history by embarking on a space odyssey along with three others to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of a commercial mission by Axiom Space on Wednesday.
The much-delayed Axiom-4 mission blasted off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, USA at 12:01 pm Indian Standard Time (IST) towards the ISS amid cheers from watch parties organised across the world, including at Shukla`s City Montessori School in Lucknow where his parents witnessed the historic launch.