IAF recalls Gaganyaan astronaut Ajit Krishnan amid rising tensions with Pakistan

Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, one of the four Indian Air Force officers chosen for India’s first human space mission Gaganyaan, has been urgently recalled by the IAF. This comes as military tensions with Pakistan rise following Operation Sindoor.

Krishnan was in Delhi, attending the Global Space Exploration Conference, when he received the call to return. Speaking to The Print, he said, “I have been called back by the IAF. You know, because of the current situation.” His comment refers to the heightened alert after India carried out precision airstrikes on terror camps in Pakistan. The strikes were in response to the recent terror attack in Pahalgam.

The Gaganyaan mission, now expected to launch its first crewed flight in early 2027, plans to send three astronauts into low Earth orbit for three days. After that, they will return safely to Earth.

At the moment, Krishnan and fellow astronaut-in-training Angad Pratap are undergoing training in India. The other two crew members, Shubhanshu Shukla and Prasanth B Nair, are training in the United States for the upcoming Axiom-4 mission.

Group Captain Krishnan, who joined the IAF in 2003, is an experienced test pilot and flying instructor. He has nearly 2,900 flying hours on aircraft such as the Su-30 MKI and MiG-29. He also said the astronaut training is going well, with support from both Indian and Russian space agencies. ISRO is setting up a dedicated astronaut training centre in Bengaluru.

India’s Gaganyaan programme has already completed key stages, including abort and uncrewed test flights. ISRO plans two more uncrewed missions, including one with a humanoid robot called Vyomitra, before launching the manned flight.

With rising military tensions and national security in focus, Krishnan’s quick return highlights the challenge India faces in managing both defence and its growing space dreams.

Inputs from agencies