Addressing the Indian diaspora in Auckland, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said New Zealand's space sector played a role in the success of India's Chandrayaan-3 mission.
He called for deeper cooperation in the field.
Chandrayaan-3 became the first mission to land near the Moon's south pole in August 2023, while India's space economy is projected to grow to $40-45 billion over the next decade.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said New Zealand's space sector had contributed to the success of India's Chandrayaan-3 mission, highlighting growing cooperation between the two countries in the space sector.
Addressing the Indian diaspora in Auckland, Modi recalled the celebrations among the Kiwi-Indian community after Chandrayaan-3 successfully landed near the Moon's south pole in August 2023.
"India's Chandrayaan-3, when it landed on the Moon's South Pole, the whole of New Zealand was dancing that day. And that day, we all felt proud. Now let me tell you one more thing to be proud of. New Zealand's technology has also contributed to this success," Modi said.
He added that the space sector exemplified how India and New Zealand could work together to drive economic growth.
"New Zealand's space company has worked with us on several occasions. We are working to take this cooperation further," the prime minister said.
Launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Chandrayaan-3 landed near the Moon's south pole on August 23, 2023, making India the fourth country to achieve a soft landing on the Moon and the first to reach the lunar south polar region.
India's space economy is projected to expand from about $8-9 billion to $40-45 billion over the next decade, driven by policy reforms, increased private sector participation and a growing innovation ecosystem.
The country has also expanded the use of space-based technology for infrastructure planning, project monitoring and public service delivery, while missions such as Chandrayaan-3 and the upcoming Gaganyaan programme have strengthened India's position among the world's leading space-faring nations.
(inputs from NDTV)
