India’s successful Chandrayaan-3 mission to the moon has scripted a new chapter in the country’s space odyssey. The landing on the south pole, a first in the history of lunar expeditions, has lit up the dark side of the moon for all humanity. On Aug. 29, India’s Union Cabinet passed a resolution celebrating the historic success of the mission and voicing its appreciation for the monumental achievement of our scientists. It also named Aug. 23, the day on which Chandrayaan-3 touched down, as National Space Day. Chandrayaan, India’s lunar exploration program, has been a trailblazing endeavour since its launch by the Indian Space Research Organization. It represents India’s dedication to unraveling the mysteries of the moon and contributing to the global space community’s understanding of lunar geology, atmosphere and resources. The wealth of information being sent back by the Pragyan lunar rover will advance knowledge, paving the way for ground-breaking discoveries and insights into the moon and beyond. Naming two locations on the lunar surface as Tiranga Point — the footprint of Chandrayaan-2 — and Shiv Shakti Point — Chandrayaan-3’s landing spot — beautifully captures the essence of our past, while embracing the spirit of modernity. These names are more than just titles. They establish a thread that intricately links our millennia-old heritage with our scientific ambitions. It makes us proud to see that a large number of women scientists have contributed to the success of Chandrayaan-3 and India’s space program in general. This will motivate aspiring women scientists in the years to come. Chandrayaan’s success is a sign of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visionary and exemplary leadership, and his unwavering commitment to India’s space program for human welfare and scientific progress. In this era of science, technology and innovation, the success of Chandrayaan-3 appeals to those associated with the world of education to inspire more youngsters toward science. Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan Modi has always encouraged science and innovation. In the past nine years, a series of reforms has been ushered in to make research and innovation easier. The success of Chandrayaan-3 is one of the greatest testimonies to Modi’s clarion call of “Jai Vigyan, Jai Anusandhan (praise to science, praise to research).” The space sector will now further open up to Indian home-grown startups and MSMEs, generating jobs, giving scope for new inventions, and offering a world of possibilities for the country’s youth. The knowledge that will come from the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission will be used for the benefit and progress of humanity, especially in the countries of the Global South. India’s advances in the space sector are more than just monumental scientific achievements. They represent a vision of progress, self-reliance and global leadership. This is also a symbol of rising India. In this era of science, technology and innovation, the success of Chandrayaan-3 appeals to those associated with the world of education to inspire more youngsters toward science. The mission is a monumental opportunity to ignite the spark of interest in these fields and also leverage the window of opportunities in our nation. India actively collaborates with Saudi Arabia in the field of space. ISRO and the Saudi Space Commission have been working together in recent years and, in March, a Saudi delegation headed by Mohammed Saud Altamaimi, chief of the SSC, visited ISRO. Altamaimi also took part in the 4th edition of the G20 Space Economy Leaders Meeting in Bengaluru in July under India’s presidency of the G20. In 2022, SSC announced a partnership with Axiom Space that resulted in Saudi astronauts Rayana Bernawi and Ali Al-Qarni traveling to the International Space Station in May this year as part of the Axiom2 space mission. India’s successful moon mission was not India’s success alone. This is a year in which the world is witnessing India’s G20 presidency. Our slogan “One Earth, One Family, One Future” is resonating across the globe. The human-centric approach that we represent has been welcomed universally. Our moon mission is also based on the same approach. Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan is India’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do not necessarily reflect Arab News" point of view