On August 23, 2025, India celebrated its second National Space Day, commemorating the successful Chandrayaan-3 Moon landing. The occasion was marked by major revelations concerning the nation's future in science and technology, particularly in the space domain. Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh unveiled an ambitious roadmap for India's space sector, outlining plans to launch more than 100 satellites over the next 15 years, a combination of government and private sector initiatives.
A significant highlight of the celebrations was the unveiling of the first look of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), India's proposed orbital laboratory. The first module of the BAS, designated BAS-01, is slated for launch by 2028, with the entire five-module station expected to be operational by 2035. This ambitious project also includes a target to place an Indian astronaut on the Moon by 2040. Other key missions in the pipeline include the uncrewed Gaganyaan-1 mission by the end of the current year, India's first human spaceflight by 2027, Chandrayaan-4 in 2028, and a mission to Venus.
Further bolstering self-reliance in space technology, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology's (MeitY) Semi-Conductor Laboratory (SCL), has successfully developed four new indigenous integrated circuits (ICs). These ICs are designed to power the avionics of India's launch vehicles, a move expected to reduce dependence on imported electronics, lower launch costs, and enable a reduction in the size of avionics hardware.
IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who became the first Indian to reach the International Space Station (ISS) in June, played a prominent role in the National Space Day events. He emphasized the importance of educating children about India's achievements in space exploration and highlighted that India is currently in a "golden age" for space missions. ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan affirmed that India is now "rubbing shoulders" with developed nations in space technology.
Beyond space, India is also making strides in other high-tech sectors. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced that India will commence manufacturing engines for fifth-generation fighter aircraft in partnership with French aerospace giant Safran. The nation has also set an ambitious target to achieve ā¹50,000 crore in defence exports by 2029. In the realm of artificial intelligence, Budget 2025 has allocated funds for AI Centers of Excellence, aiming to foster indigenous AI solutions across various sectors like healthcare, education, and agriculture. States are also contributing to this growth, with Maharashtra launching its Startup & Innovation Policy 2025 to create a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem.