India has become the first country to land a spacecraft near the moon’s south pole after the Indian Space Research Organisation’s Chandrayaan-3 touched down on Wednesday.
The mission is seen as an important step for further lunar exploration and India’s standing as a space power, as the country becomes the fourth nation to successfully land a spacecraft on the moon after the United States, China and Russia.
Here are some key reactions from around the world:
India
“This moment is unforgettable. It is phenomenal. It is the call of a developed India. It is the victory call for a new India,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said after the successful landing.
Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi also celebrated Chandrayaan-3’s success, calling it a result of “tremendous ingenuity and hard work” by the country’s scientific community.
“Since 1962, India’s space program has continued to scale new heights and inspire generations of young dreamers,” he posted on social media platform X.
Historic day for India's space sector. Congratulations to @isro for the remarkable success of Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission. https://t.co/F1UrgJklfp
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 23, 2023
Russia
President Vladimir Putin called the moon landing an “impressive” achievement, days after Moscow’s own mission crashed.
“This is a big step forward in space exploration and, of course, a testament to the impressive progress made by India in the field of science and technology,” read a statement from the Kremlin.
South Africa
President Cyril Ramaphosa congratulated India on the historic moon landing.
“This for us, as the BRICS family, is a momentous occasion and we rejoice with you. We join you in the joy of this great achievement,” Ramaphosa said, referring to the BRICS coalition of economies (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa).
Nepal
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal hailed the moon landing as a “historic” moment, saying “I congratulate Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi-ji and ISRO team of India on successful landing of Chandrayan-3 in the surface of the moon today and unleashing of a historic achievement in science and space technology.”
Europe
Josef Aschbacher, the director general of the European Space Agency, described the landing of Chandrayaan-3 as an “incredible” event.
“What a way to demonstrate new technologies and achieve India’s first soft landing on another celestial body,” he said. “Well done. I am thoroughly impressed.”
United States
The US Department of State’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs has said Chandrayaan-3’s success will power the “imagination” of people in the future.
“Your success will power the imagination and light the future of people around the world,” the department posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan also praised what he called a “historic landing”.
Congratulations to our #ArtemisAccords partner @isro on the successful landing of #Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon. Your success will power the imagination and light the future of people around the world. 🌕🚀
— U.S. Department of State | Science Diplomacy USA (@SciDiplomacyUSA) August 23, 2023
