CM Samrat Choudhary Hails ISS Greetings on Independence Day
Synopsis
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary marked Independence Day by highlighting greetings from Russian cosmonauts on the ISS, praising PM Modi's leadership and citing the Gaganyaan mission as evidence of India's accelerating space ambitions and self-reliance drive.
Key Takeaways
Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary posted on 10 August 2026 to mark Independence Day with a space-themed tribute.
He cited greetings from Russian cosmonauts aboard the ISS as making the occasion 'even more special.' Choudhary credited PM Narendra Modi's leadership for India's growing space self-reliance and the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme.
The Gaganyaan programme was approved by the Union Cabinet in December 2018 to demonstrate indigenous crewed orbital capability.
IN-SPACe , created in 2020 , has expanded private-sector participation in India's space sector.
India's Mars Orbiter Mission reached Martian orbit in September 2014 , establishing its interplanetary credentials.
From orbit to the tricolour — on Independence Day, greetings beamed down from the International Space Station by Russian cosmonauts gave Bihar's top politician a moment to frame India's space ambitions in the most vivid terms possible. Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary took to X on Monday, 10 August 2026, to share his pride at the gesture and salute India's expanding footprint beyond the atmosphere.
Translating his post, Choudhary wrote: 'अंतरिक्ष की ऊंचाइयों से भारत के नाम शुभकामनाएं' — 'Greetings to India from the heights of space.' He noted that Independence Day wishes from Russian cosmonauts aboard the ISS made the occasion 'even more special,' and credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership for steering India toward 'new heights in the space sector.'
Gaganyaan and the push for self-reliance
Choudhary's post singled out two pillars of India's space story: growing Atmanirbharta (self-reliance) in space technology, and the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission. The Union Cabinet approved Gaganyaan in December 2018, tasking ISRO with demonstrating an indigenous crewed orbital capability — a programme that has since become the centrepiece of India's human-spaceflight ambitions.
Russia's role in the acknowledgement carries its own resonance. Moscow has long been a launch and training partner for India's crewed-flight planning, providing heritage and expertise that fed directly into Gaganyaan's early design. Cosmonauts aboard the ISS offering Independence Day wishes underlines that bilateral space relationship even as India races to field its own crew vehicle.
A tricolour in orbit, an inspiration on the ground
Choudhary closed with an image that doubles as a political statement: 'आज हमारा तिरंगा अंतरिक्ष में ऊंचा लहरा रहा है' — 'Today our tricolour flies high in space' — urging every Indian to 'dream big and make those dreams a reality.' The line is squarely in the tradition of BJP messaging that ties space achievement to national pride and the Modi government's self-reliance doctrine.
India's space trajectory has given that message concrete anchors: the Mars Orbiter Mission reached Martian orbit in September 2014, and the creation of IN-SPACe in 2020 opened the sector to private players, broadening the industrial base that any crewed programme will depend on.
The tricolour may not yet be physically in orbit under an Indian crew — but with Gaganyaan's test flights advancing, the gap between rhetoric and reality is closing fast.
Point of View
Expect such messaging to intensify, framing crewed spaceflight as the ultimate proof of self-reliance delivered under BJP stewardship.
NationPress
10 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary say about India's space programme on Independence Day?
Choudhary praised India's growing space self-reliance and the Gaganyaan mission, noting that Independence Day greetings from Russian cosmonauts aboard the ISS made the occasion especially meaningful.
What is the Gaganyaan mission?
Gaganyaan is India's first indigenous human spaceflight programme, approved by the Union Cabinet in December 2018, aimed at demonstrating the capability to send Indian astronauts into orbit aboard a domestically built spacecraft.
What is IN-SPACe and why does it matter?
IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre) was established in 2020 to allow private companies to participate in India's space sector, broadening the industrial base beyond ISRO.
What is India's history with the International Space Station?
India is not a formal ISS partner nation but maintains strong space ties with Russia, one of the station's key operators, which has provided launch services and crewed-flight training relevant to the Gaganyaan programme.
Why did Russian cosmonauts greet India on Independence Day?
The research block notes the gesture but specific identities of the cosmonauts and the exact nature of the message could not be independently verified; Choudhary cited it as a symbol of India's integration into international space networks.
