New Delhi: India on Tuesday celebrated the safe return of Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla from the Axiom-4 mission, marking a significant milestone in the country's space journey.

Union Minister of State for Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh, termed the event a "moment of pride for the world and glory for India,” stating that the country had “found a lasting space in the world of space.”

Shukla, part of the four-member Axiom-4 crew, returned to Earth aboard the SpaceX Dragon capsule "Grace," which splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego around 3 PM IST.

The re-entry followed an 18-day stay on the International Space Station (ISS) and a 22.5-hour return journey.

“This mission has carried out experiments never attempted before,” Dr. Singh said, adding that it marked a new era in India's scientific ambitions. He described Shukla as a “Vishwa Bandhu”—a global citizen—and symbol of India's commitment to international scientific collaboration.

The Axiom-4 crew included mission commander Peggy Whitson (USA), Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland), Tibor Kapu (Hungary), and Shukla. The spacecraft undocked from the ISS at 4:45 PM IST on Monday.

All four astronauts will remain in quarantine until July 23, after which debriefings with ISRO, NASA and Axiom Space are scheduled. Shukla is expected to return to India by mid-August.

The minister said the mission echoed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to “look to the skies and dream big,” reaffirming India's rising profile in global space missions, including the upcoming Gaganyaan programme.