While India’s National Technology Day, hosted every year on May 11, commemorates the successful Pokhran-II nuclear tests of May 11, 1998, the country’s science and technology division has made some great strides in recent years.
Be it the field of aerospace or nuclear power, India has put itself among the top names of the record charts. At a time when NASA’s Artemis 2 mission celebrated the return of mankind to the lunar orbit, India’s own tech and science efforts are readying to put an indigenous space capsule putting Indian astronauts in outer space.
India is presently chasing ambitious space exploration, cutting-edge nuclear energy, advanced defence systems, and revolutionary Earth observation capabilities. Some of the recent milestones include the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) in the nuclear space, the iconic Chandrayaan-3 mission, and the Aditya-L1, all of which demonstrate excellence. The developments are also readying three major upcoming milestones that will put India on the world science and technology map.
Hence, on this National Technology Day, we look at some of the major recent and upcoming science and technology achievements made possible by Indian talent.
Recent milestone projects
Fast Breeder nuclear reactor:
In April 2026, India achieved a historic milestone with regard to nuclear power generation. The 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, reached first criticality.
Developed indigenously by BHAVINI under the Department of Atomic Energy, this sodium-cooled reactor marks India’s entry into the second stage of its three-stage nuclear program. The PFBR breeds more fissile material than it consumes, paving the way for utilising the country’s vast thorium reserves for long-term energy security, potentially for hundreds of years.
Despite delays since construction began in 2004, the achievement positions India as only the second country (after Russia) with a commercial-scale fast breeder reactor. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed it as a “proud moment” for advancing self-reliance in clean energy.
Chandrayaan-3:
India achieved a historic milestone in the aerospace industry with the Chandrayaan-3 mission back on July 2023 – the fourth nation to achieve a soft landing on the Moon and the first to do so near the lunar south pole.
The mission’s Vikram lander and Pragyan rover demonstrated end-to-end capabilities in safe landing, roving, and in-situ science. Key scientific outcomes included the first in-situ confirmation of sulfur, measurements of lunar plasma and seismic activity, temperature profiles showing dramatic subsurface variations, and insights into the lunar mantle. These findings enhance our understanding of the Moon’s geology and resources, supporting future exploration and potential habitation.
Aditya-L1:
Launched in September 2023 on the heels of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, Aditya-L1 is India’s first dedicated solar observatory that reached its halo orbit around the Sun-Earth L1 point in January 2024, enabling continuous, unobstructed views of the Sun. The mission studies solar phenomena like coronal mass ejections, solar wind, flares, and their impact on space weather and Earth.
The spacecraft’s instruments have captured high-resolution data, including X-class flare kernels and plasma dynamics, with science data shared globally. It strengthens India’s space science infrastructure and contributes to protecting satellites and power grids from solar disturbances.
NISAR Earth observation:
The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission, launched in July 2025, uses dual L-band and S-band radar to monitor Earth’s surface changes with centimetre-level precision, day or night and through clouds. It tracks ecosystem shifts, ice-sheet dynamics, natural hazards (earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides), and subsidence.
By early 2026, it was delivering operational data, including maps of subsidence in regions like Mexico City and soil moisture in India. This collaboration enhances disaster management, climate studies, agriculture, and resource monitoring for both nations and the global community.
Upcoming landmark projects:
Gaganyaan (expected 2027)
Slated for a launch in the first quarter of 2027, Gaganyaan will send three astronauts (or “vyomnauts”) into low Earth orbit, at about 400 km for up to three days aboard an Indian rocket. Extensive preparations include successful integrated air drop tests of the crew module and parachutes in 2025–2026, along with tests involving the humanoid robot Vyommitra.
This mission will make India the fourth country with independent human spaceflight capability, following Russia, the US, and China. It builds directly on ISRO’s proven launch vehicle and recovery expertise, with an eye toward future space stations and deeper exploration.
AMCA fifth-generation stealth fighter:
The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) represents India’s push for indigenous fifth-generation air power, following the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft. This twin-engine, stealth multirole fighter focuses on low radar cross-section, supercruise, and advanced avionics.
Following detailed design completion and CCS approvals, the program has entered the Systems Installation Detail Design (SIDD) phase. Prototype rollout is targeted around late 2026–2027, with first flight in 2028 and induction in the Indian Air Force by the 2030s. Production facilities, including an integration complex in Andhra Pradesh, are advancing at a rapid scale.