Overview

• At a New Delhi press conference, Shukla said the ISS flight achieved all technical objectives and described preliminary outcomes as encouraging while cautioning that full data analysis is pending.
• He said seven India‑sponsored studies were executed on orbit, with samples preserved and brought back to Earth for detailed examination.
• Shukla, who served as mission pilot on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, noted Indian astronauts trained on both American and Russian systems, which he said gives India a technical edge.
• ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan called Axiom‑4 a prestigious milestone and said roughly 80% of Gaganyaan technical tests are complete, with an uncrewed humanoid trial targeted before year‑end.
• After returning to India, Shukla met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and on Thursday met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and he voiced hope that an astronaut will soon launch from an indigenous capsule and rocket.