India's Chandrayaan-3 mission has resonated with millions, not just as a technological achievement but as a symbol of national pride and potential. With a launch budget of $74 million, which is notably less than the cost to produce the 2013 Hollywood space thriller 'Gravity,' India has proven its mettle in cost-competitive space engineering.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked this success as "a victory cry of a new India," watched from South Africa, where he attended the BRICS summit. The landing sparked nationwide celebrations, with people dancing in the streets, setting off firecrackers, and hailing "India on the moon."