India’s space program is poised for a transcend in 2025, marking its most pivotal year yet. With ISRO leading missions such as Gaganyaan’s uncrewed test flight, the Chandrayaan-4 lunar return mission, and the ambitious SpaDex docking experiment, India is set to join an elite club of spacefaring nations. Collaborations like the NASA-ISRO NISAR satellite will advance climate science and strengthen India’s global scientific standing. Meanwhile, the private sector is gearing up for landmark contributions through cutting-edge satellite launches, propulsion technologies, and public-private partnerships. Host Anirban Chowdhury talks to Chethan Kumar, Senior Assistant Editor (Space, Science & Defence) at TOI, about these initiatives, which promise to redefine India’s space exploration capabilities and cement its leadership on the global stage.