During the 18th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics held in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed over 300 participants from 64 countries. Modi highlighted India's tradition of combining spirituality and science, noting the country's long history of astronomical observation. He also referenced Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's recent historic mission to the International Space Station as a source of national pride and inspiration. Modi emphasized India's commitment to nurturing scientific curiosity among youth, mentioning that over 10 million students are engaged in STEM education through hands-on experimentation programs like Atal Innovation Mission. He underscored the importance of international collaboration, describing the Olympiad as the largest to date. In a separate development, Pakistan announced the creation of a new military force, the Army Rocket Force, tasked with supervising missile operations following a deadly conflict with India in May 2025. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated that this new missile unit is capable of striking enemies in all directions. In response to security concerns after a failed Pakistani attack on Indian civilian infrastructure in May, PM Modi announced the launch of Mission Sudarshan Chakra, an indigenous Iron Dome-style defense system aimed at protecting critical civilian infrastructure such as hospitals and religious sites. Modi also revealed a "High-Power Demography Mission" to address illegal migration and infiltration, warning that demographic changes pose challenges to national security and tribal rights. The mission aims to counter infiltration threats and strengthen India's demographic security. Additionally, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, pilot of NASA's Axiom-4 Space Mission, returned to India and was welcomed by Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.