Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced a manned mission to space by 2022.
"In space technology, we have dreamt something, our scientists have dreamt something. And I am happy to announce that by 2022, the 75th Independence year, we are planning a manned space mission," Modi said in his Independence Day speech from the Red Fort.
"We will put an Indian in space by 2022 or earlier," he said.
He said India was proud of its scientists, who were excelling in their research and were at the forefront of innovation.
India is proud of our scientists, who are excelling in their research and are at the forefront of innovation: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 15, 2018
From being seen as among the fragile five, India is now the land of reform, perform and transform. We are poised for record economic growth: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 15, 2018
"Our scientists have made us proud. They launched over 100 satellites... They successfully completed the Mars mission."
Later in the day, an official of the state-run Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced that it will fly an Indian astronaut into space for the first time by 2022.
"All the critical technologies for the human space mission are being developed. We will pursue it to put an Indian astronaut in space by 2022," a senior ISRO official told IANS, citing the space agency Chairman K Sivan's statement.
So far, only the US, Russia and China have launched human spaceflights.
ISRO Chairman Sivan earlier said a mission document for India's human space programme was in the making.
"Critical technologies are being developed for our human space programme, as it is India's dream to put a man in space. A mission document is in the making," Sivan had said on July 7 at an event in Bengaluru.