India's Astronauts Vs Pakistan's Terrorists: A Tale of Two National Visions

As India prepares to send an astronaut into space, the contrast with its western neighbour could not be more stark. While India trains scientists and astronauts to explore the cosmos, state-sponsored terror continues to operate undeterred in Pakistan, Dr VK Saraswat, former Director General of the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and current member of NITI Aayog told NDTV.

"It's a glaring example of the psychology of our adversary. While India has always focused on training its people for peaceful exploration of space, Pakistan has, unfortunately, chosen a path of fostering terrorism," Dr Saraswat said. His remarks come a month after a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam left 26 civilians dead. India then began Operation Sindoor on May 7 with air strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

"Our space program is globally recognised for achieving excellence at the lowest cost," Dr Saraswat emphasised. "It's a testament to India's commitment to peaceful progress and technological innovation."

Among the targets of the May 7 strikes was Muridke in Pakistan's Punjab, which is home to the headquarters of the Lashkar-e-Taiba.

India's space journey began with Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma's historic flight to space in 1984 and advanced to remarkable missions like Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan. India is also planning its own space station and deep space missions, all aimed at advancing scientific knowledge and benefiting humanity.

Next month, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is scheduled to travel to the International Space Station, marking another proud moment for India's space ambitions. Further, Indian Space Research Organisation's Gaganyaan mission aims to send Indian astronauts into low Earth orbit aboard an indigenous spacecraft.

Contrasting with the advancements with the situation across the border, Dr Saraswat said Pakistan should leverage technology to better people's lives. "Terrorism is an anathema to social structure. It should be detested and removed. Instead of creating chaos, Pakistan should focus on science and technology for the betterment of its people," he said.

With the motive of the betterment of people, Dr Saraswat suggested that India is open to collaboration with its neighbour in the space sector. "If Pakistan wants to work with us, we can even consider a joint space program. We're willing to share technologies that can uplift their population," he said.

As India prepares to launch its next astronaut, its message and vision is clear - peace, progress, and prosperity through science.