'All well up there?': PM Modi speaks to Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla aboard the International Space Station

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held a video interaction with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, marking a historic moment as the Indian Air Force officer became the first Indian astronaut to board the International Space Station (ISS). Shukla, serving as mission pilot on Axiom Space’s Ax-4 mission, launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on June 25 aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft. The Prime Minister also shared a video of the exchange on social media platform X, calling it a ‘wonderful conversation’ and praising Shukla for his milestone achievement in India’s space journey.

Highlighting the symbolic value of Shukla's name, the Prime Minister remarked that the word 'Shubh' (auspicious) in his name marks a ‘shubh-aarambh’, an auspicious beginning for a new era of space exploration and scientific aspiration for India’s youth. The conversation also included a light-hearted moment about ‘gajar ka halwa’, a traditional Indian dessert. PM Modi asked, “Did you and the other astronauts eat the gajar ka halwa there?” to which Shukla responded that they enjoyed the sweet, along with other Indian treats he had carried aboard the ISS.

When asked about his well-being and how it felt to be in space, Shukla replied: “This journey isn’t just mine, it belongs to the entire nation. As a child, I couldn’t have imagined becoming an astronaut.”

The Prime Minister offered heartfelt congratulations, saying, “My voice carries the collective enthusiasm of all Indians. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you for raising India’s presence in space."

Earlier, pictures of the interaction were shared by the Prime Minister's Office on its official X handle.

The post read: “PM @narendramodi interacted with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who is aboard the International Space Station."

During their 14-day stay on the ISS, Shukla and his Ax-4 crewmates, mission commander Peggy Whitson (USA), and specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary)—will conduct more than 60 scientific and outreach experiments. These include studies in cancer research, DNA repair, and advanced manufacturing. Shukla will lead seven of the projects, contributing to what Axiom describes as its most ambitious research agenda yet.

The mission also highlights growing international partnerships in space. The Ax-4 mission was made possible through collaboration between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), following a commitment by US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Modi to deepen cooperation in human spaceflight. It marks a key step in commercial space engagement and India’s expanding space diplomacy.