Chandrayaan 3- India Takes a 'Walk on the Moon', Creates History - Vantage with Palki Sharma
Chandrayaan 3- India Takes a 'Walk on the Moon', Creates History - Vantage with Palki Sharma
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00:00 It was called 15 minutes of pure terror and indeed it was.
00:06 But what came afterwards was worth it. Joy, pride and excitement.
00:11 I don't need to tell you why because India's Chandrayaan 3 mission has succeeded.
00:16 As the ISRO chairman said, India is on the moon.
00:20 All eyes were focused on the mission control room in Bengaluru.
00:25 It was a room full of tense faces, politicians, bureaucrats and the most terrified of the lot, our scientists.
00:33 They had been here before. In 2019, India was focused on a similar mission control room.
00:38 We were waiting for Chandrayaan 2 to land. It was a heartbreaking moment for the whole country.
00:42 But today, all that pain has been forgotten. I'll be honest though, the countdown was nerve-wracking.
00:49 ISRO had a display of how far the module was from the moon and with each minute, it kept dropping.
00:56 40 kilometers, 20 kilometers, 10 kilometers and finally zero.
01:02 The Vikram lander had successfully arrived on the moon.
01:06 You're watching the scenes from the control room in our newsroom.
01:10 The row was deafening. I can only imagine what it was like inside that room.
01:15 The tension, the expectation and in the end, the elation.
01:19 As we speak, India's rover is driving around on the moon and that too on the south pole of the moon.
01:25 It's a historic first. We told you about this yesterday.
01:29 No country has ever landed on this part of the moon.
01:33 It's dark, it is tough terrain and it's uncharted.
01:37 But right now, India has a rover there.
01:40 It's truly a proud moment in India's history.
01:43 So big congratulations and thank you to all the scientists at ISRO.
01:46 You have given us a great gift.
01:49 It's also a tribute to ISRO's persistence.
01:52 You were talking about a very complicated maneuver here.
01:57 The Vikram lander was heading towards the moon at 6000 kilometers per hour.
02:01 6000, that's 10 times the speed of a plane.
02:04 To land such a fast moving object on the moon is not easy.
02:09 Come to think about it, landing at such speeds on the earth is not easy either.
02:14 But the ISRO did it and that too without a billion dollar budget.
02:17 The total spending on Chandrayaan 3 was 75 million dollars.
02:21 That's 5 times less than a Boeing 777.
02:25 Two thirds of the budget of Hollywood films like Gravity and Interstellar.
02:29 It's a lesson on ingenuity.
02:32 It's also an inspiration for the entire world.
02:35 Space was considered the playground of the rich.
02:37 The US and the Soviet Union had money to spare.
02:40 So they took turns launching rockets.
02:42 Others simply watched and admired.
02:45 But India has shown it's not a rich boys club.
02:48 You don't need big endless budgets to reach the moon.
02:51 What you need is expertise, talent and confidence.
02:55 And ISRO has all three.
02:58 Even before the landing, the world was all praises.
03:00 Corporate leaders like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos said they were rooting for Chandrayaan 3.
03:05 Even Pakistan was rooting for it.
03:07 Their former information minister Fawad Chaudhary said,
03:10 "It's a great moment for mankind for once we agree with him."
03:13 In fact he wanted the landing to be broadcast in Pakistan.
03:16 Tells you how important this day is.
03:19 And the journey makes it even more special.
03:22 India's space mission has overcome countless obstacles.
03:25 Sanctions, lack of resources, lack of political support, technical failures, launch issues.
03:30 I could go on and on but each obstacle made ISRO stronger.
03:34 It made our scientists aim higher and higher.
03:37 Today's landing is the result of their hard work.
03:40 It's also the start of something bigger.
03:43 India has plans to send astronauts to space by 2025 and who knows, maybe rovers on Mars.
03:49 Let's not get ahead of ourselves.
03:52 First let's look at how Vikram the lander and Pragyan the rover landed on the moon.
03:57 Take a look at this.
04:03 The tension was palpable.
04:05 Expectant faces peered at the giant screen in front of them.
04:10 Complicated numbers danced around.
04:12 ISRO's former chairman had called it 15 minutes of terror.
04:17 He wasn't wrong.
04:20 Thousands of kilometers away, India's lunar module was making its final descent.
04:25 Destination, south pole of the moon.
04:31 In 2019, India's second lunar mission had crashed here.
04:35 Last week, a Russian module met the same fate.
04:39 So the pressure was extra.
04:42 With each second, the lander got closer.
04:45 It was travelling at more than 6000 km/hr.
04:49 To land from that speed isn't easy.
04:53 It would take skill and precision.
04:56 A few minutes past 6pm Indian time, ISRO's mission control room exploded.
05:02 Elated scientists screamed and hugged each other in relief.
05:11 On the giant screen, Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined in.
05:15 He waved an Indian flag from South Africa.
05:19 The mission was accomplished.
05:21 Vikram the lander had reached the south pole.
05:25 Sir, we have achieved soft landing on the moon.
05:28 India is on the moon.
05:30 Years of hard work led to this moment.
05:33 Around a thousand scientists and engineers worked on Chandrayaan-3.
05:38 The total budget? Just over $75 million.
05:43 But what ISRO lacked in funds, it made up with in ingenuity.
05:48 For most people, the moon is an obsession.
05:53 For scientists researching it, for business leaders wanting to colonise it,
05:57 for parents singing lullabies about it.
06:00 So, reaching the moon often becomes a national obsession.
06:05 And India was no different.
06:08 Chandrayaan-3 lifted off from Sriharikota on the 14th of July.
06:12 Since then, Indians have been marking their calendar.
06:16 August 23rd was D-Day.
06:20 Millions of Indians tuned in to watch ISRO's live stream.
06:23 Around 8 million to be precise.
06:26 As the lander touched down, celebrations began.
06:30 Not just inside the control room, but across the country.
06:34 The Prime Minister addressed the scientists afterwards.
06:38 He said, "New India" had witnessed a new flight.
06:41 India's successful moon mission is not just India's alone.
06:50 This is a year in which the world is witnessing India's G20 presidency.
07:00 Our approach of one earth, one family, one future is resonating across the globe.
07:15 This human-centric approach that we present and that we represent
07:25 has been welcomed universally.
07:31 So, what's next for Chandrayaan-3?
07:35 Vikram the lander isn't alone on the moon.
07:38 Stored inside is Pragyan the rover.
07:42 Both have a planned mission life of one lunar day.
07:45 Here on earth, that's around two weeks.
07:48 The rover will drive around on the moon's surface.
07:51 It'll send back crucial data to ISRO.
07:54 Scientists are most excited about the prospect of water.
07:58 Many believe the South Pole could be holding frozen water.
08:02 If so, Pragyan will find it.
08:05 It'll also leave India's mark on the moon.
08:08 Quite literally.
08:11 The rover's wheels carry the Indian emblem along with ISRO's logo.
08:15 As it explores the moon's dark and mysterious South Pole,
08:19 it'll also imprint these logos on the surface.
08:23 The moon has no wind or erosion,
08:26 so the prints will remain for a long, long time.
08:30 Perhaps as long as the moon exists.
08:33 It's a tribute to how far India's space programme has come.
08:38 From carrying satellites on bicycles,
08:40 to being pinned down by sanctions,
08:42 to landing and exploring the moon.
08:45 But don't think the story is over.
08:48 Today's landing is the beginning of another chapter in India's space story.
08:53 ISRO Chairman S Somnath alluded to it.
08:57 Honourable Prime Minister called me
09:00 and conveyed his greetings to each one of you,
09:04 you and your family for the wonderful work you did in ISRO.
09:07 So, thanks to him for the support that he's giving to us
09:12 for missions like Chandrayaan-3
09:15 and the missions that are in the offing.
09:18 I think that's a great word of comfort
09:21 that we are receiving for pursuing the inspirational work
09:24 that we are doing for the nation.
09:26 I want to tell you and I want to thank you also
09:29 for each and everyone who prayed with us in the last many days,
09:32 who wanted this success to happen in ISRO
09:36 I thank all those people all around the country
09:40 and maybe beyond the country for their blessings and wishes
09:44 and affection that he has given to each one of us
09:47 for doing this work for the last so many years.
09:49 The world is lining up to congratulate India.
09:53 NASA Chief Bill Nelson extended his wishes.
09:57 So did South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa
10:00 and the Maldivian President Ibrahim Soli.
10:04 For many countries, this is a watershed moment.
10:07 It proves the moon isn't a luxury trip.
10:10 It doesn't need endless budgets.
10:13 You can reach the moon with talent, skill and confidence.
10:17 ISRO displayed all three.
10:20 Only three countries had landed on the moon until now.
10:24 The United States, the erstwhile Soviet Union and China.
10:29 India's Pragyan has now joined this elite club.
10:33 So what's next for ISRO?
10:36 We could say the sky is the limit, but it's clearly not.
10:40 India has plans to send astronauts into space.
10:44 It's also planning another mission to Mars
10:47 and a separate probe to the sun.
10:50 Exciting times if you follow ISRO.
10:52 But today is all about soaking in the moment.
10:56 The moon you hear about in poems and tales isn't unreachable anymore.
11:02 It's the runway for India's rover.
11:05 The other big story tonight is the BRICS Summit.
11:07 This year's summit had a lot of promise.
11:10 But in the end it turned out to be like a packet of chips.
11:13 Great packaging, but once you open it,
11:15 what you get is a lot of air and very little substance.
11:18 Although it had its moments like this one.
11:20 This is from earlier today.
11:22 South African President Cyril Ramaphosa
11:24 was welcoming India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
11:26 As they walk up, Modi spots the Indian flag on the floor.
11:29 This was a mark for him to stand on.
11:33 This is where he was supposed to stand for the photo.
11:35 But instead of standing on it,
11:37 the Prime Minister picked it up and put it in his pocket.
11:40 The South African leader saw what happened
11:42 and he did the same with his flag.
11:45 Well, optics aside, what were the tangible outcomes?
11:58 Let's start with China.
12:00 Their contingent struggled.
12:02 Beijing had big plans for BRICS this year.
12:04 They wanted to fundamentally change the group
12:06 to add more members to get a common currency
12:08 and more importantly to take a tougher stand against the West.
12:11 The Chinese President made a power play at BRICS.
12:15 We need to use the BRICS+ cooperation well
12:19 and accelerate the expansion process.
12:21 Let more countries join the BRICS family,
12:23 pool wisdom and gather strength
12:25 to make global governance more fair and reasonable.
12:28 But in the end, he generated more bad press.
12:31 Yesterday, Xi Jinping suddenly went missing.
12:33 He skipped an important event, the BRICS Business Forum.
12:36 All other leaders were present.
12:38 One by one, they delivered their statements.
12:40 Even Vladimir Putin spoke.
12:42 He was not there in person, but he joined the summit virtually.
12:45 Xi Jinping was the only leader who did not attend.
12:48 He was in South Africa,
12:50 but he sent his Commerce Minister to deliver his speech.
12:53 What do you think happened to Xi Jinping?
12:55 He wasn't late to the event.
12:57 Before the Business Forum,
13:00 he was present at all engagements.
13:01 He even showed up to receive an award,
13:03 the Order of South Africa,
13:05 the country's highest civilian order.
13:07 He's on a state visit there.
13:09 But for some reason, he decided to skip one event.
13:12 No explanation given.
13:14 Was he unhappy about something?
13:16 Did he fall ill?
13:18 Was there a pressing matter that needed his urgent attention?
13:20 China won't say. It never does.
13:22 Foreign Minister goes missing? Silence.
13:24 President goes missing? Silence.
13:26 All you have is awkward Chinese diplomats giving standard answers.
13:29 It happened again today.
13:30 When they were asked about Xi Jinping's disappearing act,
13:32 they acted like it did not happen.
13:34 Listen to this.
13:36 Yesterday afternoon, President Xi Jinping
13:39 delivered a speech to the Business Forum.
13:43 Can you believe it?
13:45 Even the text statement said the same,
13:47 that Xi Jinping delivered the speech,
13:49 except he did not.
13:51 Wang Wentao, China's Commerce Minister,
13:54 read out the remarks.
13:56 It was basically a long rant
13:58 full of anti-West rhetoric.
13:59 The speech criticized the United States
14:01 and defended China's economic policies.
14:03 It said, and I'm quoting,
14:05 "China is on the right side of history
14:07 and hegemonism is not in China's DNA."
14:10 We have gained democratic independence
14:13 through great hardship and sacrifice,
14:16 and we have continued to explore a path of development
14:19 that is in line with our own national conditions.
14:22 All that we have done, in the final analysis,
14:26 is to enable our people to lead a prosperous life.
14:28 However, some countries,
14:30 unwilling to give up their hegemonic position,
14:33 have arbitrarily blocked and suppressed
14:35 emerging market countries and developing countries.
14:40 China says it doesn't want a competition with the US.
14:45 What it wants instead is a new world order,
14:48 with China at its center.
14:50 And Russia has backed this position.
14:52 Listen to what Russian President Vladimir Putin
14:55 said.
14:56 I would like to point out that namely the aspiration
14:59 to preserve this hegemony in the world,
15:01 the aspiration of certain countries to preserve this hegemony
15:04 has led to the severe crisis in Ukraine.
15:07 First, the Western countries helped to commit
15:09 an anti-constitutional coup in that country
15:12 and a war was unleashed against those
15:14 who did not agree to this coup.
15:17 A brutal war, a war of attrition,
15:19 which lasted for 8 years.
15:23 Both China and Russia are pushing for changes at BRICS.
15:25 They want expansion.
15:27 More members, more friendly countries means more clout.
15:30 India and Brazil do not agree with this approach.
15:32 They want to be selective on new members.
15:35 Prime Minister Modi spoke about this today.
15:37 He said there should be consensus
15:39 before a new member is let in.
15:42 Excellency, India fully supports the expansion
15:45 of BRICS membership.
15:49 And welcomes progress with consensus.
15:53 In 2016, during the presidency of India,
15:56 we defined BRICS as a building responsive,
15:59 inclusive and collective solution.
16:03 Seven years later, we can say that BRICS
16:06 is a building that is responsive,
16:09 inclusive and collective.
16:12 We can say that BRICS is a building
16:15 that is building responsive,
16:18 and we can say that BRICS will be
16:20 breaking barriers,
16:22 revitalizing economies,
16:25 inspiring innovation,
16:28 creating opportunities
16:31 and shaping the future.
16:34 What about the proposal on common currencies?
16:36 The idea has some traction,
16:38 but there are differences on the approach.
16:40 China wants the BRICS to use the Yuan.
16:42 Brazil does not agree.
16:44 Here's what their president, Lula da Silva, said.
16:47 The creation of a currency for trade
16:49 and investment transactions between BRICS members
16:51 increases our payment options
16:53 and reduces our vulnerabilities.
16:56 So no consensus on a common currency either.
16:59 China's proposals fell flat,
17:01 but the host South Africa promised
17:03 to keep the discussions going.
17:06 We are concerned that global financial
17:09 and payment systems
17:12 are increasingly being used as instruments
17:16 of geopolitical contestation.
17:18 Global economic recovery relies on
17:21 predictable global payment systems
17:25 and the smooth operating of banking,
17:29 supply chains, trade, tourism,
17:33 as well as financial flows.
17:36 So no major takeaways to write home about.
17:38 That was the BRICS Summit for you.
17:40 Held hostage to different political priorities.
17:43 Our next story is about free trade agreements or FTAs.
17:45 They're considered panacea in the world of trade.
17:48 You sign an FTA, your trade booms.
17:51 But it turns out that's not always the case.
17:54 India has signed around 13 free trade agreements
17:57 with Australia, with the UAE,
17:59 and with ASEAN members, also with Japan.
18:02 The idea is quite simple.
18:04 When you sign FTAs,
18:06 you reduce barriers to trade,
18:08 like quotas,
18:11 or tariffs, or duties.
18:12 You reduce all of them.
18:14 As a result, bilateral trade increases.
18:16 That's the assumption.
18:18 But in India, the recent trend is worrying.
18:21 Let's look at the first half of 2023.
18:24 That's January to June.
18:26 India's overall exports declined by 8.1%.
18:30 But India's exports to FTA partners
18:33 declined by 18.2%.
18:36 And this is worrying.
18:38 In the first six months of 2023,
18:40 FTA partners made up 30% of India's exports.
18:43 This fell to 26% in the first half of this year.
18:46 If your exports fall,
18:48 your deficit widens,
18:50 meaning you import more than you export.
18:52 That's deficit.
18:54 India's FTA deficit was $28 billion last year.
18:57 This year, it's $30 billion.
18:59 In other words, India's import bill
19:01 from its FTA partners is $30 billion more
19:04 than its export bill.
19:06 ASEAN countries make up almost half of this deficit.
19:09 This is a group of 10 countries in Southeast Asia, ASEAN.
19:12 They make up about half of the deficit,
19:14 so there is a huge trade imbalance.
19:16 And the government realizes this.
19:18 They've decided to review the free trade agreement with ASEAN.
19:21 The review should be completed by 2025.
19:24 But what explains this rising imbalance?
19:27 One reason is global sluggishness.
19:30 The World Trade Organization says
19:32 global trade will grow by 1.7% this year.
19:35 Last year, it was 2.7%.
19:38 So trade has slowed down,
19:39 and this is a global problem.
19:41 But that alone does not explain India's situation.
19:44 Our main problem is exports.
19:46 Let me explain how this works.
19:48 Around 18 items make up 75% of India's merchandise exports.
19:52 Things like cereals, fruits and vegetables,
19:55 textiles, spices, fish.
19:57 India exported less of these goods
19:59 in the first half of this year.
20:01 Now, do you see the problem here?
20:03 These are not all weather exports.
20:07 If the monsoon is bad,
20:08 India may have to curb food exports.
20:10 If inflation rises, same thing.
20:12 We've already limited rice and wheat exports.
20:15 And when that happens, the deficit widens.
20:18 So what is the solution?
20:20 To focus on more reliable sectors like telecom,
20:22 or computers, or pharma.
20:24 These items make up 25% of India's exports,
20:27 and guess what?
20:29 These exports grew in the first half of this year.
20:31 So the idea is to diversify your shipments
20:33 away from agriculture.
20:36 Agro products are important.
20:37 No two ways about it.
20:39 But they cannot be your only driver.
20:41 If they are, your trade deficit will keep widening.
20:44 It was $191 billion in 2021.
20:47 It increased to $267 billion last year.
20:51 That's a rise of almost 40%.
20:53 Now, I know what a lot of people will say.
20:56 Oil prices were up.
20:58 If you pay more for oil,
21:00 your import bill will rise anyway.
21:02 Which is true.
21:05 But there are other reasons.
21:06 Take Japan, for instance.
21:08 They registered a trade surplus in June this year.
21:11 It was the first in two years, a trade surplus.
21:13 Same with South Korea.
21:15 They registered a surplus in June,
21:17 their first in 15 months.
21:19 And so did China.
21:21 Their trade surplus last year was $877 billion.
21:24 And all these countries import energy.
21:27 Yet they posted surpluses.
21:29 My point is, it is possible.
21:31 India needs to strengthen its industrial base,
21:34 attract more foreign investment.
21:35 It's the only way to overcome this deficit.
21:37 As for free trade agreements,
21:39 it's a wake-up call.
21:41 Simply signing them is not enough.
21:43 We need to secure competitive terms.
21:46 Now, India is currently involved in two major FTA talks.
21:49 One is with Britain.
21:51 The other is with the European Union, the EU.
21:53 Both are very important trade partners.
21:55 But more importantly, they are developed economies.
21:58 So you need to negotiate harder.
22:00 And I'll tell you why.
22:03 The International Monetary Fund, or the IMF,
22:04 warned against green protectionism.
22:06 What does that mean?
22:08 Western countries are using climate action
22:10 to justify protectionism.
22:12 For example, subsidies.
22:14 The US recently passed a law to fight inflation.
22:17 It's called the Inflation Reduction Act.
22:20 This law gives subsidies worth $7,500
22:24 to people who buy electric cars.
22:26 It's a great idea, right?
22:28 Just one problem, though.
22:30 That car must have been assembled in North America.
22:32 So EVs made in India or Japan or China or Vietnam
22:35 have no chance.
22:37 Why would customers just abandon
22:39 thousands of dollars in subsidies?
22:41 Europe has done something similar in October.
22:43 They will introduce a carbon tax.
22:46 Say you import steel from India to Europe.
22:48 Or aluminium from Africa.
22:50 Now, these places have more relaxed laws on emissions.
22:53 So Europe says you will have to pay a tax now.
22:55 A tax for producing in and importing from
22:58 the developing world.
23:01 Imagine you're a producer.
23:02 What would you do?
23:04 You either pay the tax
23:06 or you shift your company to Europe.
23:08 Such policies are being called
23:10 a new wave of protectionism.
23:12 It would have a massive impact on India's exports.
23:14 So two things to watch out for here.
23:16 More industrial production
23:18 and better negotiation at the trade table.
23:20 And now it's time for Vantage Shots.
23:22 Images that tell the story.
23:24 We're starting with South Africa.
23:26 As we told you, the BRICS summit is underway
23:28 during a photo op.
23:30 And the spot to stand was marked
23:31 with the flag of their respective country.
23:33 Indian Prime Minister Modi made sure
23:35 not to step on the tricolour.
23:37 In fact, he picked it up and kept it in his pocket.
23:39 Meanwhile in China, a massive fire broke out
23:41 in an office building in the city of Tianjin.
23:43 More than 200 firefighters and 62 fire engines
23:46 have been deployed to control the blaze.
23:49 And a rocket was launched into the space
23:51 from Kazakhstan.
23:53 The aim is to restock the International Space Station
23:55 with food and fuel.
23:57 And finally, taking you back in history
23:59 to this day in 1966,
24:00 the Earth was photographed
24:02 for the very first time from the Moon's orbit.
24:04 The picture was transmitted back to Earth
24:06 by the Lunar Orbiter 1.
24:08 On that note, we're calling it a wrap.
24:10 Thank you for watching.
24:12 We'll see you tomorrow.
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