New Delhi [India], August 22 (ANI): Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman V Narayanan on Friday addressed the inaugural session of the National Meet 2025, calling it a landmark step in expanding space applications to benefit citizens at the grassroots level.

'This is an important milestone in our journey for bringing space applications to the grassroots. Today, there are 55 space applications--ranging from television broadcasting to weather forecasting--ensuring the safety and security of every citizen of Bharat through satellites,' Narayanan said.

Reflecting on India's progress, he noted that just five decades ago the country had no satellite technology. '50 years ago, we did not have satellite technology. Last month, on June 30th, the NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar Satellite) became the costliest satellite in the world. The entire satellite is built by ISRO and launched using our own rocket precisely into orbit. Today we are shoulder to shoulder with developed nations,' he said.

The ISRO chief highlighted several achievements in 2025 and said, 'This year, on January 29, we had our 100th rocket launch. This year, India became one among four countries to successfully dock and undock two satellites in orbit. We successfully sent Shubhanshu Shukla to space under the direction of PM Modi. Today, the best camera available in the moon orbit belongs to India.'

Narayanan stressed the need for continuous improvement to make operational applications more 'accurate, frequent, and responsive to users.'

We are meeting for the inaugural function to ensure continuity in improvement and to make our operational applications more accurate, frequent, and responsive to users. We have to utilise resources from the private sector for many activities. We are going to contribute to Viksit Bharat 2047 to make India a developed country before we celebrate 100 years of independence.'

Earlier, V Narayanan, on Thursday, said that ISRO has launched almost double the number of missions between 2015 and 2025 than the ones launched between 2005 and 2015.

The ISRO Chairman also praised Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla for being the first Indian to return from the International Space Station (ISS).

'In the last 10 years, the progress is phenomenal, exponential. With respect to missions, between 2015 and 2025, the number of missions almost doubled compared to 2005-2015. During the last six months, three important missions were completed. Axiom 4 mission is a very prestigious mission, successfully accomplished. First Indian to be brought back safely from the International Space Station (ISS), we have the Gaganyaatri Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla,' Narayanan said during the conference. (ANI)