Over the Moon: Indian PM Narendra Modi Celebrates ‘Fall of Bastille’ With France’s Macron, While Chandrayaan-3 Mission Takes off for Lunar Landing That Can Establish India as a Major Space Power

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a very special July 14, being celebrated in France during the national holyday of the ‘Fall of the Bastille’, as the Indian Space Agency (ISRO) launched the Chandrayaan-3 space mission that aims to put a landing module on the moon, while also putting the BRICS country in the pages of human history as one of the major Space Power nations.

One of the main features of the state visit was a focus on security partnership, with India close to buying new French warplanes and submarines, even if the two countries do not see eye-to-eye when it comes to the Ukraine war.

Associated Press reported:

“Modi called for peace efforts in Ukraine to end Russia’s war and resulting grain shortages, and India has increased imports of sanctioned Russian oil; Macron’s France is boosting weapons supplies to Ukraine for its counteroffensive.

During a two-day visit that included a banquet at the Louvre, Indian troops marching down the Champs-Elysees and a high-octane speech by Modi to Indians from around Europe, the two countries released a raft of agreements tightening cooperation in areas where they agree.”

The countries reached a preliminary accord for India to buy 26 more Rafale fighter jets and three more Scorpene submarines. They vowed to ‘work jointly not only for ourselves but other friendly nations too’.

“Macron is keen on tightening alliances in the Indo-Pacific against an increasingly assertive China, and his office unveiled a ‘roadmap’ with India for cooperation in the region.

‘This convergence stretches to our strategic interests’, he said. ‘We are defending together the same vision of the Indo-Pacific, an area that must remain open and free from all forms of hegemony’.”

The talks with my friend, President @EmmanuelMacron were very productive. We reviewed the full range of India-France relations. I am particularly enthusiastic about deepening cooperation in futuristic sectors like green hydrogen, renewable energy, AI, semiconductors and more. pic.twitter.com/kNxPGYj5Fh

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 14, 2023

The visit was marked by the very amicable tone adopted by both sides, that was reflected online.

Indian news site News 18 reported:

“In a demonstration of the enduring bond between India and France, President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi captured a moment of friendship with a selfie following the review of the full range of relations between the two strategic partners.”

Modi and Macron discussed the evolution of the India-France partnership, build upon their ‘robust relationship’ and aimed to ‘foster a better world together’.

🇮🇳 🇫🇷 friends forever! https://t.co/HFYrkeG3bH

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 14, 2023

“Following the issuance of the joint statement, French President Macron posted a selfie of himself on Twitter with PM Modi. The caption was written in French, Hindi, and English, saying, ‘Long live the French-Indian friendship!’ To this PM Modi responded, ‘Friends forever!’

[…] ‘The talks with my friend, President Emmanuel Macron were very productive. We reviewed the full range of India-France relations. I am particularly enthusiastic about deepening cooperation in futuristic sectors like green hydrogen, renewable energy, AI, semiconductors and more’, PM Modi tweeted.”

While that was going on, on the other side of the world, Modi had even bigger reasons to celebrate, as ISRO launched its LVM3 rocket to kick start the greatest space adventure in the 6,000 year-old history of the country.

Reuters reported:

“India’s space agency launched a rocket on Friday that sent a spacecraft into orbit and toward a planned landing next month on the lunar south pole, an unprecedented feat that would advance India’s position as a major space power.

The Indian Space Research Organization’s (ISRO) LVM3 launch rocket blasted off from the country’s main spaceport in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh on Friday afternoon, leaving behind a plume of smoke and fire.”

ISRO’s mission confirmed that it had succeeded in putting the Chandrayaan-3 landing module into an Earth orbit, that will send it looping toward a moon landing next month.

“If the mission succeeds, India would join a group of three other countries that have managed a controlled lunar landing, including the United States, the former Soviet Union and China.

[…] Chandrayaan, which means “moon vehicle” in Sanskrit, includes a 2-metre-(6.6-foot)-tall lander designed to deploy a rover near the moon’s south pole, where it is expected to remain functional for two weeks running a series of experiments.”

The lunar landing is expected to take place on Aug. 23. Modi took to Twitter to say that the moon mission ‘will carry the hopes and dreams of our nation’.

14th July 2023 will always be etched in golden letters as far as India’s space sector is concerned. Chandrayaan-3, our third lunar mission, will embark on its journey. This remarkable mission will carry the hopes and dreams of our nation. pic.twitter.com/EYTcDphaES

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 14, 2023