‘Congratulations India’: Elon Musk Reacts To PM Modi’s Post On GalaxEye’s Mission Drishti Launch

Last Updated:May 05, 2026, 23:41 IST

PM Modi had hailed the launch as a major achievement in India’s space journey and a reflection of the country’s growing innovation ecosystem.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (File)

Tech billionaire Elon Musk on Tuesday reacted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s post on India’s space milestone, simply writing “Congratulations” along with the Indian flag emoji, in a nod to the successful launch of Bengaluru-based space start-up GalaxEye’s Mission Drishti satellite.

His response came after PM Modi, in a post on X on Sunday, hailed the launch as a major achievement in India’s space journey and a reflection of the country’s growing innovation ecosystem.

PM Modi said the mission underscored the passion of India’s youth towards nation-building and technological advancement.

“Mission Drishti by GalaxEye marks a major achievement in our space journey. The successful launch of the world’s first OptoSAR satellite and the largest privately-built satellite in India is a testament to our youth’s passion for innovation and nation-building,” the Prime Minister said, extending his congratulations to the founders and the entire team.

The satellite was launched aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from California on Sunday, marking a significant moment for India’s private space sector.

Mission Drishti is described as the world’s first OptoSAR satellite, combining electro-optical (EO) and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems into a single platform. While EO sensors capture high-resolution images in daylight and clear conditions, SAR technology allows imaging in all weather and lighting conditions using radar signals.

According to GalaxEye, the integration of both systems is expected to overcome long-standing limitations in Earth observation, enabling more reliable and consistent data collection across varied environments.

Mission Drishti is expected to support applications across defence, agriculture, disaster response, maritime monitoring and infrastructure planning. It is also seen as complementing India’s wider Earth observation capabilities, including ISRO’s satellite network.

GalaxEye plans to expand the system into a 10-satellite constellation by 2030, aiming to build a stronger and more independent Earth observation infrastructure for India.

(With inputs from PTI)

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