Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Members of Parliament to engage in informed and respectful debate, with a shared commitment to the country’s progress, in the Monsoon Session that began on Monday (July 20, 2026).

In a veiled attack on the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, Mr. Modi referred to the innovators at Indian startup Skyroot Aerospace, saying the company’s team — with an average age of 28 — had taken India’s flag to space.

“I am not talking about some 56-year-old ‘youngster’. I am talking about a startup, the young people with an average age of 28, who have planted India’s flag in space… these are the kinds of achievements that fill India with immense pride,” said Mr. Modi.

“There are very few countries in the world where such private sector initiatives have taken place. India’s youth have truly soared to new heights in the space sector, it is a tremendous success,” he said.

Built by Skyroot, the Vikram-1 rocket lifted off ISRO’s First Launch Pad at Sriharikota on July 18 and placed its payloads in an orbit about 450 km above the Earth, making India the third country after the U.S. and China whose private industry has demonstrated such a capability.

The Prime Minister said India has achieved several key milestones over the past month, enhancing its standing and credibility on the global stage.