India took another giant leap in its space journey on Sunday with the successful launch of its heaviest-ever communication satellite, CMS-03, marking a new milestone in the nation’s rapidly advancing space programme.
The satellite, weighing 4,410 kilograms, was launched from the Sriharikota Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh at 5:26 p.m. local time (11:56 GMT) aboard the LVM3-M5 launch vehicle — India’s most powerful rocket to date. The towering 43.5-metre launcher roared into the evening sky, carrying what the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) described as the most advanced and weighty communication satellite ever built in the country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the achievement, saying, “Our space sector continues to make us proud!” He reaffirmed India’s long-term goal of sending an astronaut to the Moon by 2040, underscoring the nation’s growing confidence in space technology and exploration.
According to the Indian Navy, CMS-03 will play a crucial role in strengthening secure communications across ships, aircraft, and submarines, bolstering both defence and strategic capabilities.
The LVM3-M5 used for this mission is an upgraded version of the rocket that propelled India’s historic lunar lander to the Moon in August 2023, when India became the fourth nation — after Russia, the United States, and China — to achieve a controlled landing on the lunar surface.
In the past decade, India’s space programme has rapidly expanded from modest beginnings to global recognition, driven by a combination of scientific ambition and cost-effective innovation. The country’s growing space capabilities now include lunar and interplanetary exploration, advanced satellite networks, and human spaceflight initiatives.
Adding to the momentum, earlier this year Indian Air Force test pilot Shubhanshu Shukla became the second Indian in space and the first to reach the International Space Station, marking a key milestone in India’s preparations for its first crewed space mission planned for 2027.
With the successful deployment of CMS-03, India has reaffirmed its place among the world’s leading spacefaring nations — one that is not just reaching for the stars, but steadily building the infrastructure to stay among them.