Updated on: 20 Jul 2026
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday appeared to take a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi while applauding the young innovators behind India’s first privately developed orbital rocket, saying he was referring to real young achievers and “not a 56-year-old young man.”
Speaking to the media ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, the Prime Minister said the past month had brought several milestones that had filled the nation with pride. He noted that India had registered significant achievements at the national, international and space levels.
Modi said that just before the Monsoon Session last year, an Indian citizen had travelled to the International Space Station, and only two days ago, a young Indian start-up had accomplished an extraordinary feat in space technology.
He was referring to Skyroot Aerospace’s successful launch of Vikram-1 on Saturday. The mission marked the launch of India’s first privately developed orbital-class rocket, which successfully placed multiple technology demonstration payloads into the intended orbit. With the achievement, India became only the third country after the United States and China to demonstrate private orbital launch capability.
Highlighting the significance of the accomplishment, the Prime Minister said only a few countries in the world have private companies capable of achieving such launches. He said India’s young innovators had elevated the country’s ambitions in space and described the success as a remarkable milestone.
“I am told the average age of the team working at the Skyroot start-up is just 28 years. It is these young minds who have made this possible. I am not talking about a 56-year-old young man; I am talking about a start-up whose team, with an average age of just 28, has planted India’s flag in the realm of space,” Modi said.
Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, turned 56 on June 19 this year.
The Prime Minister said the country’s youth deserve heartfelt congratulations for the achievement. He added that such successes inspire confidence across the nation and further strengthen India’s reputation as a respected and trusted partner on the global stage.
