Jagran Opinion: Shubhanshu Shukla's Mission Powers India's Space Future

On June 26, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla made history by becoming the first person with an Indian passport to reach the International Space Station (ISS). Born in Lucknow, Group Captain Shubhanshu is a distinguished pilot in the Indian Air Force (IAF). His journey to space is part of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, which is an international collaboration involving Axiom Space, NASA, ESA, and ISRO.

This mission will conduct 60 scientific experiments contributed by 31 countries, including Poland, Brazil, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and several European nations. Seven of these experiments have been developed by ISRO. These experiments cover a broad range of disciplines from microbiology and biotechnology to life sciences, materials science, human physiology, and space technology.

But this mission is not just about sending an astronaut to ISS or conducting science experiments in space. It is a window into the future, a future where space is not merely a destination for exploration but the next great strategic and economic frontier. In the coming decades, space will play a central role in shaping geopolitics, global power dynamics, and economic growth. From satellite communications to defense systems, from resource mining to space tourism, the ability to operate effectively in space will determine which nations lead and which follow.

Control of space means control over communication, especially in times of war and conflict. Already, satellite networks are vital to everything from secure military communications to real-time navigation and climate monitoring. An example of this is the ongoing war in Ukraine. When Russian forces targeted and disabled Ukraine's terrestrial communication infrastructure, it was Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet that restored connectivity. This allowed Ukrainian forces to stay online, and emergency services and the military to continue functioning. It was a clear demonstration of how space-based infrastructure can directly influence outcomes in terrestrial conflict.

Space is also becoming key to modern defense and security. Countries with strong space programs now hold a strategic edge. An example came during the conflict between Iran and Israel. Several ballistic missiles launched by Iran were intercepted outside Earth's atmosphere by Israel’s Arrow-3 defense system. This shows that control of space assets can directly protect nations from high-speed, long-range missile attacks and fundamentally reshape modern warfare. Even India’s operation Sindoor relied a lot on satellite cameras to identify targets and for damage assessment.

In fact, the USA has already started their own military wing called Space Force to protect their assets in space. In the next few years, India will also have to make its own military division dedicated to protecting itself from space as the world enters into an era of Space war.

Economically, space is opening new frontiers. Space tourism is no longer a distant dream as companies like Axiom Space, SpaceX, and Blue Origin are flying private astronauts, marking the start of a commercial space era. ISRO is also working in this area and plans to send the first set of space tourists to space by 2030. The Global space tourism market is expected to reach up to Rs 85,000 crore by 2030. With its cost-effective and reliable launch capabilities, India is well-positioned to capture a significant share of this growing market.

As the global space economy grows, only countries capable of independently sending both humans and machines into space will have the power to shape its rules and reap its rewards.

And India is stepping into this high-stakes domain at just the right moment.

The Ax-4 mission marks a major milestone in India’s journey toward becoming a global space leader. It aligns directly with India’s human spaceflight ambitions under the Gaganyaan programme, which will send Indian astronauts into orbit aboard an indigenously developed spacecraft in 2026. But India’s vision goes even further.

By 2035, India aims to establish its own space station, the Bhartiya Antariksh Station (BAS). This facility will serve as a platform for cutting-edge research, innovation, and long-duration missions, placing India among the few nations with a permanent human presence in space. The lessons learned from missions like Ax-4 in life sciences, orbital operations, and international collaboration will be critical in shaping the design and functioning of BAS.

Space also holds a huge amount of valuable resources. One of the richest areas is the asteroid belt, which lies between Mars and Jupiter. These asteroids contain rare materials like platinum, gold, cobalt, and lithium, which are important for making things like batteries, electronics, and clean energy technologies. As the Earth’s resources run low, mining in space could become a key part of the future economy. Scientists believe that the minerals and metals in this region are worth around Rs 6 lakh crore. This is a very huge number - it is 6 followed by 23 zeroes. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the entire world was about USD 100 trillion. This means the asteroid belt's value is over 8,000 times the total annual economic output of our entire planet or in other words, it is equal to what all humans in all countries put together will produce for the next 80 centuries.

Countries that reach these areas first and control a fraction of their value will control important materials needed for future industries. They will lead in setting prices, building new businesses, and shaping the global market. That is why being in space is so important for India’s long-term future.

With its proven record of cost-effective and high-impact missions, India has shown that it can achieve world-class results with efficiency and ingenuity. This makes India a reliable and attractive partner, especially for nations in the Global South who aspire to enter space but face financial and technological barriers.

India will serve as a gateway for these emerging space economies. Through partnerships, technology-sharing, and training, India can lead a new era of South-South cooperation in space. This approach not only strengthens diplomatic ties but also makes space exploration more inclusive and equitable.

(The writer, who was an advisor to former President APJ Abdul Kalam, is the CEO of the Kalam Centre. Views are personal.)