“The world will witness one Indian in Space and another in the deep sea by 2025,” the MoS said while meeting Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi in North Block.

The ‘Deep Sea Mission’ is a significant initiative executed in collaboration with the ‘Guardians of the Indian Ocean’ to enhance the Indian Navy’s submarine capabilities.

The meeting between the minister and Naval chief also underscored the deepening partnership between the Indian Navy and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) in key national missions.

“The Indian Navy is the lead agency for the recovery of the crew module for India's first human Space mission ‘Gaganyaan’. It has also undertaken successful recovery during the 1st developmental mission (TV-D1) of the project on October 23,” the minister said.

He added that the success of the ‘Whole of Government Approach’ has effectively dismantled silos and fostered joint collaboration across various sectors to achieve the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

He also highlighted how the transformation of the space sector, driven by private sector participation, is a testament to the government's vision and praised the removal of the Angel Tax on Startups, considering it a pivotal move in nurturing innovation and entrepreneurship.

The minister also encouraged Admiral Tripathi to explore collaborations with technology-based StartUps, noting that many sectors within the defence industry have already benefited from such partnerships.

He also emphasised the importance of the National Geospatial Data Framework in national development.