Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the second Indian to journey into space and the first to visit the International Space Station (ISS), has returned to India. He landed in Delhi early Sunday morning, marking the end of his historic mission.

Shukla was greeted at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport by his wife, Kamna, Union Minister Jitendra Singh, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and a large crowd waving the national flag.

Shukla's journey to the ISS began on June 25, when he launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida as part of the NASA-led Axiom-4 mission. He spent 18 days aboard the ISS, conducting numerous scientific experiments. His work is expected to directly contribute to India's Gaganyaan program, which aims to launch an unmanned mission later this year.

Before his return, Shukla shared an emotional message on social media, expressing mixed feelings about leaving his friends and colleagues in the US while also looking forward to reuniting with his family and sharing his experiences with the people of India. He quoted his commander, NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, saying, "The only constant in spaceflight is change," and referenced the film 'Swades' with the line "Yun hi chala chal rahi – jeevan gaadi hai, samay pahiya".

Shukla's family expressed their excitement about his return. His father, Shambhu Dayal Shukla, mentioned that the family would meet him in Delhi.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh stated that Shukla would first meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi before traveling to Lucknow to be with his family. He also highlighted the significance of Shukla's mission for India's space program.

Prime Minister Modi acknowledged Shukla's achievements in his Independence Day address, stating that the astronaut had "inspired a billion dreams" and boosted India's space ambitions. Modi also mentioned India's plans to develop its own space station.

Shukla's 18-day mission on the ISS involved conducting over 60 experiments and 20 outreach sessions with astronauts Peggy Whitson (US), Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland), and Tibor Kapu (Hungary). He also participated in Independence Day celebrations at the Indian Consulate in Houston with his backup astronaut, Prashanth Nair.

Shukla's return marks a significant milestone for India's space program. His experiences and learnings from the mission, as well as his time at NASA, Axiom, and SpaceX facilities, are expected to be invaluable for India's future human spaceflight endeavors. India's plans include launching the Gaganyaan mission in 2027, establishing an Indian Space Station by 2035, and undertaking a crewed mission to the moon by 2040.

Shukla is scheduled to participate in the National Space Day celebrations in Delhi on August 22-23.