India's Mars Mission: Priorities Questioned as LEDC Launches £45 Million Project to Red Planet

On Tuesday, India launched its first rocket to Mars as they made their mark on the Global Space Program. In spite of the fact that India launched the rocket to the red planet at a much lower cost than other successful missions, what are India's true priorities here?

Take-Off: The £45 million project has raised numerous questions about India's priorities. 

Although the mission is being touted as 'low-cost', $73 million (£45.3 million) is still a lot of money especially in a country that has such poverty like India.

With over a 20% poverty rate, what are India doing spending the money on space programs?

Of course, the space mission has its benefits. India will rival their neighbors, make their mark on the Space Industry and one prominent reason being thrown around the media - National Pride.

Let's re-evaluate here. Since when was National Pride about spending your money on space missions rather than your own people?

Its a fact that they must face. An LEDC has poverty to deal with, first and foremost that should be the priority. Don't get me wrong, I am not undermining the space mission and deeming it pointless, but why have India got involved in an expensive mission.

Let's switch perspectives. How about the people in the slums living in poverty conditions in India. How on Earth will it help them?

In my opinion, the 4.5 billion rupees used for the project could have been used in a much better, more needed way. Why not strive towards poverty before launching into space. For any country, the priority is the people, India should have one fundamental aim, to eradicate poverty.

Furthermore, India are receiving national aid. With poverty still clear in India, why are they launching a mission to Mars?

The Indian government defended the opposition to the program as it provided high-tech jobs for scientists and engineers. But how does this have any link to the poverty side of the argument? Surely there are enough high-tech jobs that can be done on Earth before launching to space. Will this project hire anyone from the slums? Will anyone from the slums benefit? A straight no can answer those two questions.

India's priorities have been sent into a tailspin by themselves. Instead of helping their less-fortunate people, they launch missions to space. 

India need to take care of the poor who are on the planet, not the exploration outside it.

India need to look at the poor conditions on the ground before going up into Space.