Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday, 10 June 2026 met Wing Commander (Retd.) Rakesh Sharma and Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla at the 10th IN-SPACe Industry Connect in Ahmedabad, describing the encounter as a meeting with two distinguished Indians who embody the nation's spirit of exploration and excellence.

Context

The event brought together India's space legacy and its emerging future in one frame. Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian citizen to travel to space, flew aboard Soyuz T-11 in 1984 under the Soviet Interkosmos programme — a mission that made him a household name and inspired generations of Indian scientists and engineers. Shubhanshu Shukla, an Indian Air Force test pilot, has been selected for India's own human spaceflight programme, Gaganyaan, representing a new chapter in which India sends its own citizens to space on its own terms.

Goyal noted the contrast and continuity between the two: 'While one inspired a generation by taking India to space, the other represents the confidence and ambition of a nation reaching for new horizons.'

Policy Backdrop

IN-SPACe — the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre — was established in 2020 as part of sweeping space-sector reforms approved by the Modi government. The reforms authorised private entities to undertake satellite launches, space manufacturing and data services, shifting regulatory oversight away from ISRO and opening the sector to commercial capital.

Since those reforms, India has progressively introduced new foreign direct investment norms to attract private capital into launch vehicles, satellites and ground systems. The IN-SPACe Industry Connect series is a direct product of this liberalisation, designed to connect startups and aerospace firms with policy frameworks and potential partners.

Goyal framed the gathering within the broader ambition articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi: 'India's space journey is entering a transformative phase... we are unlocking opportunities across space technology, innovation, manufacturing and exploration, with the resolve to strengthen India's position as one of the world's leading space powers.'

Stakeholders and Impact

The 10th IN-SPACe Industry Connect in Ahmedabad drew participation from space startups, private aerospace firms and scientists, reflecting the expanding ecosystem that has grown since the 2020 reforms. For private players, the presence of a senior Cabinet minister signals continued political commitment to opening the sector beyond ISRO's traditional monopoly.

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla — known on social media as @gagan_shux — has become a public face of the Gaganyaan programme, and his appearance alongside Retd. Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma at an industry event underscores the government's effort to build public enthusiasm and investor confidence simultaneously.

What's Next

Attention in India's space sector is focused on the progress of the first uncrewed Gaganyaan test flight and any new regulatory or funding windows that emerge from IN-SPACe's industry engagement series. With the 10th edition now concluded in Ahmedabad, stakeholders will watch for policy announcements or partnership frameworks that translate the ministerial messaging into concrete commercial opportunity.

As India positions itself alongside established space powers, the convergence of legacy icons like Rakesh Sharma and next-generation astronauts like Shubhanshu Shukla at policy forums signals that the country's space ambitions are being deliberately built on both historical pride and institutional reform.