NATO's Test

The NATO summit in The Hague has concluded with a flourish of symbolism and a bold commitment: alliance members have pledged to increase defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP by 2035.

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India's return to human spaceflight after more than four decades is more than a technological achievement; it is a statement of intent. With Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla becoming only the second Indian to journey into space, the country has sent a clear message: it is ready to rejoin the league of nations shaping the future of space exploration. The moment is both symbolic and strategic. Symbolic, because it revives national memories of Group Captain Rakesh Sharma's trailblazing 1984 flight aboard a Soviet Soyuz, and reawakens a long-dormant aspiration. Strategic, because this mission—though launched from foreign soil—lays essential groundwork for India's indigenous human spaceflight ambitions, notably the planned Gaganyaan mission and beyond. The current mission, facilitated through an international partnership and commercial arrangement, is not merely a photo opportunity. It places an Indian pilot at the heart of a complex operation aboard the International Space Station. This isn't ceremonial participation—it is technical, operational, and scientific. Group Captain Shukla will not only pilot the mission but also contribute to 60 experiments, seven of which originate in India. These include vital studies in space biology, crop resilience, and microalgae growth, all of which have implications for long-term human survival in space and on other planets. This is where the importance of the mission deepens. As the world gradually shifts from symbolic space races to practical questions of sustainability and planetary habitation, nations must move from launching rockets to establishing self-sufficiency in orbit. India's decision to invest Rs 500 crore to send one of its own through this multinational collaboration reflects a calculated bid to learn, adapt, and lead. This hands-on experience is far more valuable than passive observation or ambition locked in bureaucratic time