The Department of Fisheries, under the Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, will celebrate the success of the Chandrayaan-3 Mission with a special event titled ‘National Space Day’ on Tuesday. The event aims to highlight the transformative impact of space technologies on the fisheries sector.

Scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. on Tuesday at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi, the celebration will feature a series of seminars and demonstrations focused on the “application of space technologies in the fisheries sector”. The initiative is set to take place across 18 locations in coastal states and Union Territories (UTs), covering a range of topics including space technology in fisheries, communication and navigation systems for the marine domain, space-based observation, and their contributions to improving the fisheries sector.

The Indian fisheries sector, crucial to the nation's economy, provides sustenance, employment, and economic opportunities, particularly in rural areas. With an extensive coastline of 8,118 km, a vast Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 2.02 million square km, and rich inland water resources, India boasts a flourishing fisheries ecosystem. The integration of space technologies such as satellite remote sensing, earth observations, satellite-based navigation systems, GIS, satellite communication, data analytics, and AI promises to enhance marine fisheries management and development significantly.

The Chandrayaan-3 Mission, which successfully executed a safe and soft landing of the Vikram Lander and deployed the Pragyaan rover on the lunar surface near the Moon’s South Pole on August 23, 2022, has placed India among the elite group of space-faring nations. This landmark achievement made India the fourth country to land on the Moon and the first to do so near its south pole.

In celebration of this historic accomplishment, events across the country in July and August aim to engage and inspire the younger generation in the fields of space, science, and technology, reflecting the nation's growing prowess in space exploration.