Why Did South African President Want To Be Seated Next To PM Modi At BRICS Summit? Chandrayaan-3 Holds The Answer

Chandrayaan-3 is the reason why South African President Cyril Ramaphosa wanted to sit next to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the BRICS Summit in that country last week.

The Moon mission, Chandrayaan-3, which cost Rs 75 million, has received praise from space agencies and governments worldwide.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar mentioned that it also garnered positive reactions from BRICS leaders during events in Johannesburg.

After the successful landing, the South African President, who considered it a triumph for his country as well, expressed his desire to be seated next to Prime Minister Modi so that Chandrayaan's positive energy could influence him.

On 23 August, when the landing took place, the Prime Minister left the session to join ISRO via a video link.

By the second day, even within the BRICS summit, conversations had shifted to focus on Chandrayaan, as stated by Jaishankar.

Jaishankar narrated "I was in a room (attending a BRICS event as Vikram was landing)... with a big screen in the corner. It was difficult to talk without getting distracted," the minister said, "At some stage President Ramaphosa said, Foreign Minister, you are looking like Chandrayaan is up there (pointing to the screen)."

He further said "I think, by then, it had seeped into peoples' imagination and, that evening, I must tell you, we were at a BRICS Plus event - so you had about 50 other countries' prime ministers and presidents - and the speech which President Ramaphosa gave on Chandrayaan was like a collective feeling..."

The EAM added "In fact, he said, 'I'm going to sit next to PM Modi and I hope some of it rubs off on me..."

The remarks of the South African President reflect the respect and admiration for PM Modi among his peers.

Following the landing, Prime Minister Modi briefed the other BRICS leaders and expressed his gratitude to President Ramaphosa for his messages of congratulations.

He also mentioned that he had been appreciating President Ramaphosa's praise for India's Moon mission since the previous day.

After thanking President Ramaphosa, PM Modi emphasised that the success of Chandrayaan-3 is not just a triumph for India, but a significant accomplishment for all of humanity.

He expressed his pride in the fact that this achievement is being recognised worldwide.

Foreign Minister Jaishankar highlighted the overwhelming sense of joy and unity that the Chandrayaan-3 mission had generated.

He recalled a moment during a gathering where the Prime Minister had to walk along a long table to personally accept congratulations from around 100-150 people.

This incident exemplified the fact that the mission's success was not solely India's, but a shared achievement.

India has joined a select group of nations, including Russia, the United States, and China, by successfully landing Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon. This achievement is even more significant, as the landing site is closer to the Moon's south pole, than any other soft landing completed before.

In addition to the successful landing, Vikram has also deployed the Pragyan rover, equipped with six wheels. The rover is now working to gather crucial data from the Moon's surface and atmosphere using scientific payloads and instruments.

However, the mission will need to conclude before the lunar night begins, as it lasts for 14 Earth days.