April 1, 2025: NASA astronaut Sunita Williams has shared breathtaking views of India from space, describing the country as “amazing”. After returning from an extended mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), Williams reflected on her experience orbiting the earth.

She was particularly captivated by the Himalayas, saying, “Every time we went over the Himalayas, we got incredible pictures. It happened like a ripple and flows down into India.” Williams also highlighted the vibrant colours visible from space, especially as the landscape transitions into Gujarat and Mumbai.”

Williams expressed her excitement about reconnecting with her father’s homeland and praised India as a ”great country” and a “wonderful democracy”. She noted India’s progress in space exploration and expressed her willingness to support its efforts.

India has been making significant strides in human spaceflight through its Gaganyaan program, which aims to send astronauts into orbit by 2026. The program seeks to demonstrate India’s human spaceflight capability by launching astronauts to an orbit 400 kilometers above the Earth for a three-day mission.

If successful, India will become the fourth country to send a human into space, after the Soviet Union, the US and China. The estimated cost of the indigenous space project is Rs 90 billion.

Williams remarks highlight the growing collaboration between NASA and ISRO, including joint missions like NISAR, an earth observation satellite.