Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday extended his greetings to the people of India on National Space Day, highlighting the country's growing achievements in space exploration and calling for greater innovation and ambition in the sector.

In his message, Modi said India's space journey reflects the country's ability to pursue ambitious goals while developing indigenous capabilities. He encouraged citizens, scientists, engineers, startups and young innovators to continue pushing the boundaries of what India can achieve in space technology.

The Prime Minister's message comes as India continues to expand its space programme, with government-backed missions as well as growing participation from private space startups. The space sector has increasingly emerged as an area of technological development, research and entrepreneurship, with Indian companies working on launch vehicles, satellites and other space-related technologies.

National Space Day is observed to commemorate the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the lunar surface on August 23, 2023. India became the first country to land a spacecraft near the Moon's south polar region during the historic mission.

The achievement marked a significant milestone for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and strengthened India's position in global space exploration. Chandrayaan-3's successful landing was followed by the deployment of the Pragyan rover, which carried out scientific experiments on the lunar surface.

Modi has frequently highlighted the role of India's young population and private sector in taking the country's space programme forward. The opening of the space sector to private participation has encouraged startups and companies to develop new technologies and explore commercial opportunities.

The Prime Minister's latest National Space Day message also comes at a time when India is preparing for several major space initiatives. The country's space programme is looking beyond individual missions towards greater technological capabilities, human spaceflight, satellite services and deeper participation by private players.

Earlier on Sunday, Modi also interacted with CEOs and founders of Indian space startups, where he praised their willingness to enter a relatively new sector. He said Indian companies had demonstrated courage by entering the space industry and highlighted India's cost competitiveness as a potential advantage in the global market.

The government's focus is increasingly shifting towards building a broader space ecosystem in which ISRO, startups, researchers and established companies can work together. This approach is expected to support innovation while creating new opportunities in satellite technology, launch services, communications and other space-related fields.

As India marks National Space Day, the focus is therefore not only on the achievements of past missions but also on the country's future ambitions in space. Modi's message emphasised the need to continue dreaming bigger and innovating more as India seeks to strengthen its position among the world's leading spacefaring nations.