Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said India supports a safe, secure, and sustainable space domain anchored in international law, underlining that scientific data must serve the common good with openness and integrity.
Virtually addressing the first International Space Summit, Modi also said that ISRO's technologies and partnerships serve not only India, but the wider world.
The prime minister said for centuries, space inspired people's imagination and now, it shapes life on earth, from climate and crops to oceans and communities.
"The promise of space is infinite. Our responsibility is collective. As orbits become more crowded, technologies more powerful, and actors more numerous, our choices must be clear: cooperation over confrontation; sustainability over short-term gain; and inclusion over exclusion," he said.
Modi said India's approach is rooted in 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' -- 'One Earth, One Family, One Future', and this spirit must now travel beyond the planet.
"We support a safe, secure, peaceful and sustainable space domain anchored in international law, dialogue and multilateral cooperation. Scientific data must serve the common good, with openness and integrity," he said.The prime minister said India's space journey reflects this philosophy and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which stands at the heart of this journey, has earned global admiration for its excellence and cost-effective missions.He said its capabilities serve farmers and fishermen, weather forecasting, disaster management and navigation."More than 430 satellites from 34 countries have travelled to space aboard Indian rockets. ISRO's technologies and partnerships serve not only India, but the wider world," he said.Modi said behind this global trust is the dedication and hard work of generations of Indian scientists, engineers and technicians.
"Working day and night, they have built ISRO's global reputation mission by mission, success by success, and given India a place of pride among spacefaring nations," he said.
The prime minister said the Chandrayaan-3 made India the first nation to land near the lunar south pole and Aditya-L1 is unlocking the secrets of the Sun.He added that last year, an Indian astronaut visited the International Space Station.
"Looking ahead, we aim to establish an Indian space station by 2035 and send an Indian to the Moon by 2040. In all these efforts, our guiding principle has been clear: their benefits must reach all humanity," he said.
Alongside ISRO, Modi said, India's private space sector is also surging in a big way and the energy of enterprise is joining the excellence of ISRO.
"France has been a trusted partner since the Indian space programme began at Thumba in the 1960s. Today, our cooperation spans earth observation and advanced technologies, uniting scientific excellence with human purpose. We invite France and the world to be co-travellers in India's next space frontier," he said.
The prime minister thanked French President Emmanuel Macron for inviting him to the summit. "Let the space summit in Paris send a clear message: we will explore together, innovate together and protect space together, for all humanity, and for generations to come. I convey my best wishes to all the participants," he said.