'Not Talking About 56-Year-Old Youth': PM Modi's Sharp Jibe At Rahul Gandhi Steals The Show On Day 1 Of Monsoon Session

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (July 20) took a veiled swipe at a "56-year-old youth" while lauding India's growing space capabilities, saying he was referring to "28-year-old youngsters" behind the success of startup Skyroot Aerospace and “not any 56-year-old ‘youngster."

Notably, the remark is widely seen as an indirect reference to Congress MP and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.

He made this remark before the start of the Monsoon Session, praising India's advancements in science, innovation, and space technology, and emphasizing the vital role the youth play in driving the nation's future.

"Just before last year's Monsoon Session, an Indian citizen reached the International Space Station, and the day before yesterday, India's young startup achieved a very big milestone. There are very few countries in the world where such private ventures have taken place, and India's youth have taken a new flight into space. It is a very big success," PM Modi said.

Referring to the team behind Skyroot Aerospace, he added, “The young people working in this 'Skyroot' startup--I have been told the average age of their entire team is only 28 years. Such youngsters have accomplished this work; I am not talking about any 56-year-old 'youngster,' I am talking about these startups in the country with an average age of 28 that have planted India's flag in space.”

‘Prove productive for country…’

PM Modi also expressed hope that both the ongoing monsoon season and the Monsoon Session of Parliament would prove productive for the country. 

"The benefits of the monsoon are visible, and the Monsoon Session is also commencing. Both the monsoon and the Monsoon Session are very productive; when both are productive, it leads to the welfare of the nation and the welfare of all living beings. Therefore, we pray that both the monsoon and the Monsoon Session remain productive," he said.

What's the context?

Ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Narendra Modi, then the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, coined the term "56-inch chest" to symbolize profound strength and courage, a phrase that the Congress party has frequently turned around to target him.

In February, Rahul Gandhi took a swipe at the Prime Minister, having previously been blocked from quoting former Army Chief M.M. Naravane's unpublished memoir in Parliament, by questioning, "What happened to the 56-inch chest when China was standing against us?"

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister continued with his address saying, "Congratulations are certainly due to these young people - with an average age of 28 - who have planted India's flag in space. These are the kinds of achievements that fill India with self-confidence."

Skyroot's success story

Hyderabad-based private space startup Skyroot Aerospace scripted history with the successful launch of its flagship Vikram-1 rocket from Sriharikota, marking India's entry into the elite global group of nations with private orbital launch capabilities. 

The rocket completed its final burn and injected its payloads into a nearly 450-km orbit, making India the third country in the world with private orbital launch capability.

The mission, named "Mission Aagaman", was executed from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The 24-metre carbon-composite rocket completed all planned flight stages, including stage separations and the firing of its Orbital Adjustment Module (OAM).

Propelled by a dynamic engineering team with an average age of just 28, the milestone solidifies the company's pioneering role in the country's booming commercial space sector.

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