New Delhi [India], June 25 (ANI): Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday congratulated Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla on his journey to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom Mission 4, calling it a proud moment for the country.

In an X post, Gandhi highlighted the historic significance of the mission, noting that it comes more than four decades after Squadron Leader Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian to travel to space in 1984. He said Group Captain Shukla now carries that legacy forward.

'A proud moment for every Indian as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla launches off on his journey to the International Space Station,' Rahul Gandhi wrote.

'41 years after Squadron Leader Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian in space, he now carries forward that legacy, inspiring every Indian. Wishing him and the team a safe and successful return. Jai Hind! Jai Bharat,' he added.

Earlier in the day, the Union Cabinet congratulated Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to travel to the International Space Station (ISS), and praised the successful launch of Axiom Mission 4.

Reading out a resolution passed by the Cabinet, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said,'We welcome the successful launch of the space mission carrying astronauts from India, Hungary, Poland and the US. The Indian astronaut, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, is on the way to become the first Indian to go to the International Space Station. He carries with him the wishes, hopes and aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians. The Cabinet wishes him and other astronauts all the success.'

Group Captain Shukla, an Indian Air Force officer, is part of the international crew aboard Axiom Mission 4, launched earlier in the day. His journey marks a historic milestone for India, as he becomes the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh also hailed the mission, calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to open India's space sector to private players a 'turning point' that led to a 'miraculous' transformation. He said the sector could grow to 40-45 billion US dollars in the next decade.

'I think one of the greatest turning points in India's space journey has been PM Modi's pathbreaking decision to allow the private sector to step in. The change has been miraculous. The transformation in the last 4-5 years, there are thousands of crores of investment happening from the private sector,' Singh told ANI.

Speaking about the future of space exploration, Singh added, 'Our future projections indicate that in about 8-10 years we might go up to 4-5 times higher, about 40-45 billion US dollars. So, the opening of the space for the private sector was a very courageous decision which could have been taken only by a political dispensation with a tremendous amount of conviction and willpower.'

Referring to the significance of Axiom Mission 4, the minister said, 'I think it will be a good experience also for future missions. This, coupled with Chandrayaan-4, also for missions like Bharat Space Station, which we plan to have by 2035 and for prolonged stay in space or in microgravity conditions, what are the arrangements to be put in place will also be learnt through the experiments to be conducted by Shubhanshu.'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the crew of Axiom Mission 4, writing on X, 'We welcome the successful launch of the Space Mission carrying astronauts from India, Hungary, Poland and the US. The Indian Astronaut, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, is on the way to become the first Indian to go to the International Space Station. He carries with him the wishes, hopes and aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians. Wish him and other astronauts all the success!'

In a separate post on X, Singh praised Shukla's historic journey: 'Congratulations, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, you are the first Indian Astronaut to embark on a mission to the International Space Station. Indeed, a proud moment for India! ISRO's growing global collaborations, after the reforms introduced by the government headed by PM Narendra Modi, have placed India as a frontline nation in space exploration.'

Singh also mentioned that Group Captain Shukla will conduct seven scientific experiments designed by Indian institutions during his stay aboard the ISS. He paid tribute to space pioneers Vikram Sarabhai and Satish Dhawan, whose vision laid the foundation for India's space ambitions.

The Axiom Mission 4 launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida at 2:31 am Eastern Time (noon IST) aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from Launch Complex 39A. (ANI)