Kathua (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], August 23 (ANI): Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and MoS PMO Jitendra Singh, who also oversees the Space Department said on Friday that India is now standing on equal footing with other top countries of the world in regards to International Space Mission.

'India is standing in the row of the world's top countries. We are an equal partner with other countries on the International Space Mission,' the Union Minister said.

The remarks were made by the Union Minister as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who recently became the first Indian to travel to the International Space Station as part of the Axiom-4 mission.

'Shubanshu Shukla has performed very unique experiments out there which are related to life sciences, health. Like I said yesterday, experiments were performed by Indian; even kits to perform those experiments were Indian, but the entire mankind will benefit. Shubhanshu Shukla is the symbol of Vishwabandhu,' he added.

Earlier today, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla met President Droupadi Murmu here at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

President Murmu expressed her best wishes to Shubhanshu Shukla for being the first Indian to return from the International Space Station (ISS).

Meanwhile, Union Minister Jitendra Singh also visited the cloudburst and flood-affected areas of Janglote and Ghatti in Kathua district to assess the situation and meet the families impacted by the natural calamity. He also distributed relief material to the affected households.

Speaking to media persons, Union Minister Singh said, 'We have come here and assessed what actions will be taken to provide immediate relief. Today, the DC has arranged for rations at all the relief centres. We have also distributed relief materials on our part. Keeping climate change in view, we have initiated a National Mission through the Department of Science and Technology to preserve the Himalayan ecosystem. While this initiative will work effectively, we also need to contribute at a societal level. Rainfall can be forecasted, but cloudburst incidents occur due to local factors, so keeping that in mind, we can take some preventive measures.'

Jitendra Singh expressed serious concerns over the sudden cloudburst and flood-like situation in Kathua. He said that the Government is serious about the situation that has arisen due to natural disasters in Jammu and Kashmir recently. He alerted the people about such natural disasters.

On August 17, a devastating cloudburst and flash floods struck Kathua district, resulting in significant damage and disruption. (ANI)