IAF Hails ‘Déjà Vu Moment’ as Shubhanshu Shukla Soars to Space—41 Years After Rakesh Sharma

The Indian Air Force (IAF) called the takeoff of Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla for the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday as a "déjà vu" moment for India, as part of the Axiom-4 mission.

The Axiom-4 mission launched Shubhanshu Shukla as the first astronaut from India to travel to the ISS while also being only the second person in India's history to travel to space.

The mission took off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:01 pm IST with astronauts from four different countries - India, the United States, Poland, and Hungary.

Also Read: Moiz Abbas Shah, Pakistani Officer Linked to Abhinandan’s 2019 Capture, Killed in Taliban Clash

Shubhanshu Shukla in space

Shubhanshu Shukla, from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, was selected to take part in the commercial spaceflight, Axiom, as one of it's astronauts along with veteran NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary.

The IAF acknowledged this milestone for India saying this was another reinforcement of India's "ever-expanding horizon" and continued proud heritage of Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma since 1984.

"From conquering the skies to touching the stars - a journey powered by the indomitable spirit of the IAF Air Warrior," the IAF said in a post on social media platform X.

From conquering the skies to touching the stars— a journey powered by the indomitable spirit of the IAF Air Warrior.

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla sets forth on a landmark Space Mission, carrying the pride of the nation beyond Earth.
This is a dèjà-vu moment for India, 41… pic.twitter.com/mTFfGLxiUE

— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) June 25, 2025

The IAF said that the journey was a "déjà vu moment for India," while likening it, once again, to Rakesh Sharma's journey to the Salyut-7 space station in 1984, while aboard S woojeted spacecraft. "More than a mission - it is reaffirmation of India's ever-expanding horizon," the IAF said in its X post.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the successful launch of the Axiom 4 mission and claimed that Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla carries the wishes, hopes, and aspirations of 1.4 billion Indian citizens.

Also Read: Fans Adore New Pairing in Aap Jaisa Koi Trailer: Fatima Sana Shaikh & R. Madhavan's Chemistry Wins Hearts

Defence minister Rajnath Singh also sent congratulations, calling the mission a historic accomplishment. "The Space Mission carrying astronauts from four countries including India is going to be a significant milestone in the history of space exploration," he said in a post on X.

"The Indian Astronaut, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla who hails from Lucknow is set to be the first Indian to go to International Space Station. The country is proud of him. Wishing him and his fellow space travellers success in their endeavours," Rajnath Singh's post read.

Watch parties were held at locations in Shubhanshu Shukla's hometown of Lucknow, where Shubhanshu Shukla's former high school - City Montessori School - hosted a party where it guaranteed that his parents watched the historic liftoff.

This Axiom-4 mission represents a crucial next step for India in terms of commercial space collaboration and denotes a new return to humans in space after a four-decades-long hiatus with Rakesh Sharma's mission.

Also Read: SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Rocket Returns to Earth Just 8 Minutes After Launching Axiom‑4 | Watch