The successful touchdown of the Chandrayaan-3 has captured the imagination and wonder of people all over the world as India became the first nation to land a craft near the largely unexplored lunar south pole. This successful mission came just days after a Russian lander crashed in the same region, and four years after the previous Indian lunar mission failed during final descent. The transformative potential that India possesses and offers is one that can mask the country’s excesses. The Chandrayaan-3 has a cost of $74.6 million, far lower than many missions from other countries, and this has only been possible because it has been able to copy and adapt existing technology, thanks to the abundance of highly skilled homegrown engineers. This is an example of long-term planning and investment in the right sectors being done right.

Source: The Nation August 24, 2023 21:19 UTC