The Indian Space Research Organisation was formed in 1969. India's first satellite, Aryabhata, was launched in 1975, and launches take place from Sriharikota.
PSLV is the workhorse for smaller and polar-orbit payloads. GSLV carries heavier, geostationary payloads. In 2017 a PSLV launched 104 satellites in one mission.
Chandrayaan-1 flew in 2008 and helped confirm water molecules on the Moon. Chandrayaan-3 landed near the south pole on 23 August 2023, now National Space Day.
India reached Mars orbit on its first attempt in 2014, a first for an Asian nation. Aditya-L1, India's first solar observatory, launched in September 2023.
Homi J. Bhabha founded India's atomic energy programme. Pokhran-I took place in 1974 and Pokhran-II, Operation Shakti, in May 1998.
The DRDO develops the Agni and Prithvi missiles, the Akash air-defence missile and the Tejas fighter. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam led much of the missile programme.
C. V. Raman won the Physics prize in 1930, Har Gobind Khorana the Medicine prize in 1968 and S. Chandrasekhar the Physics prize in 1983.
Aadhaar numbers were first issued in 2010. UPI launched in 2016 and 5G services began in India in October 2022.
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