Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who is currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS), the PMO said.

The 39-year-old group captain made history by becoming the first Indian to set foot on the ISS in 41 years, following a 28-hour journey aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft as part of Axiom Space’s commercial mission.

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Docking completed on Thursday, and Shukla, alongside three international astronauts, was warmly welcomed by the ISS crew. In his brief remarks, Shukla expressed pride, saying “Jai Hind Jai Bharat” and shared plans for scientific experiments over the next 14 days. His family and hometown in Lucknow celebrated the achievement with patriotic cheers.

A toy swan named Joy, chosen by Shukla’s son, floated inside the capsule as the mission’s zero-gravity indicator. Shukla reflected on the breathtaking views, the warm reception from fellow astronauts, and the honour of carrying the Indian flag into space.

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