Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 23 August 2026 — National Space Day — said India's rapidly growing space sector, particularly its private segment, has transformed the country into a 'magnet for global investors,' as the nation marked the third anniversary of the Chandrayaan-3 Vikram lander's historic touchdown near the Moon's south pole.

What PM Modi Said

Sharing a video of his speeches to mark the occasion, Modi drew a direct line between India's space ambitions and its broader developmental goals. 'Together, we have resolved to make India a developed nation by 2047, and the space sector plays a vital role in achieving this goal,' he said.

On the private sector's emergence, Modi noted: 'India's private space talent is making its own identity in the world. Today, India's space sector has become a magnet for global investors.' He also referenced an earlier address in Ayodhya, saying it marked 'the beginning of a new cycle of change' in which India is steadily expanding its presence in the global space order.

Gen Z Engineers at the Forefront

Modi reserved particular praise for the country's younger generation of space professionals. 'Today, these Gen Z engineers, designers, coders and scientists are building new technologies. Be it propulsion systems, composite materials, rocket stages or satellite platforms, India's youth is working in areas that were not even imagined some time ago,' he said.

He added that ISRO's sustained success is inspiring the next wave of Indian scientists, noting that many children now aspire to careers in space science after witnessing the agency's achievements.

ISRO Chief's Call for Greater Ambition

ISRO Chairman and Secretary of the Department of Space, Dr V Narayanan, used his National Space Day 2026 message to call for greater innovation, collaboration, and ambition as India works towards global space leadership. The 2026 celebrations are being held under the theme 'Towards Viksit Bharat: Innovating, Collaborating and Aspiring to Global Space Leadership,' which underscores the country's intent to deepen partnerships and widen its footprint in the global space ecosystem.

Significance of National Space Day

National Space Day is observed every year on 23 August to commemorate the moment in 2023 when the Chandrayaan-3 Vikram lander soft-landed near the Moon's south pole — making India the first nation in history to reach that region. The milestone is widely regarded as the defining achievement of India's space programme and a demonstration of the country's growing scientific and technological depth.

What Comes Next

With private space startups attracting international capital and ISRO pursuing an ambitious pipeline of missions, India's space economy is at an inflection point. The government's push to open the sector to private players — backed by regulatory reforms over the past two years — is increasingly bearing fruit, and the 2026 National Space Day message signals that New Delhi intends to accelerate, not consolidate, that momentum.