Tharoor Hails Shubhanshu Shukla’s ISS Mission As ‘Stepping Stone’ To Gaganyaan, Slams Opposition Boycott Of Space Discussion In Parliament

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday (18 August) hailed astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s historic journey to the International Space Station (ISS), calling it a landmark for India’s space ambitions and a crucial step towards the Gaganyaan programme.

“Since the Opposition are not participating in the special discussion, let me say how proud all Indians are of the recent mission of Commander Shubhanshu Shukla to the ISS. It served as a stepping stone to our nation’s own human spaceflight program, Gaganyaan,” Tharoor said in a post on X.

Earlier in the day, parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju had appealed to opposition parties to join a special Lok Sabha debate on Shukla’s mission and India’s space programme.

Opposition leaders, however, boycotted the session while pressing for a discussion on alleged voter fraud.

The senior Congress leader emphasised that Shukla’s flight offered the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) “invaluable hands-on experience and data that cannot be replicated in simulations,” including insights into spacecraft systems, launch procedures, and the psychological and physiological effects of microgravity.

These, he said, were vital to “de-risking and refining” Gaganyaan.

Tharoor also underlined that the mission tested Indian systems in a live space environment, generating findings from human health studies to plant growth experiments that will shape future life-support and medical systems.

Beyond technical benefits, he said the mission had diplomatic value as a milestone in “global space diplomacy.”

“Commander Shukla’s historic flight serves as a powerful symbol of India’s ambitions in human spaceflight. It has captured the nation’s imagination, inspiring a new generation to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, maths & space studies — all essential for sustaining India’s long-term space goals. Well done,” Tharoor said.

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