Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft lands on moon in 'victory cry' of new India

FILE PHOTO: The words 'India Moon Mission', Moon and an Indian flag are seen in this illustration, August 21, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/file photo

BENGALURU (Reuters) -An Indian spacecraft landed on the rugged, unexplored south pole of the moon on Wednesday in a mission seen as crucial to lunar exploration and India's standing as a space power, just days after a similar Russian lander crashed.

"This moment is unforgettable. It is phenomenal. This is a victory cry of a new India," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who waved the Indian flag as he watched the landing from South Africa where he is attending a regional summit.