NEW DELHI: India has announced plans to construct its own space station by 2035.

On Saturday, during National Space Day, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) outlined the country’s future space program roadmap.

Under the plan, India aims to build and operate its own space station within the next decade and send humans to the Moon by 2040 to collect samples and return them to Earth.

According to ISRO Chairman B. Narayanan, under Prime Minister Modi’s direction, preparations for Chandrayaan-4 and a Venus orbiter mission are underway.

He stated, “The first module of the Indian Space Station will be launched by 2028, with full operational capability expected by 2035.”

Additionally, India has approved the development of a next-generation launch vehicle. In his address, Prime Minister Modi said India has established a new global identity in space exploration.

“Space is not just a destination; our rockets carry more than payloads—they carry the dreams of 1.4 billion Indians,” he remarked.

Modi highlighted India’s journey from launching a small rocket in 1963 to being the first nation to land near the Moon’s south pole, emphasizing that space represents both exploration and empowerment.