Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla reveals how Indian food reached space:Why only three dishes, including gajar ka halwa reached the ISS

When Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla travelled to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom-4 mission in June 2025, he carried more than just scientific equipment; he also took a few flavours of India with him. While scientists had prepared a wide variety of Indian dishes for the mission, only three foods were approved for space travel after undergoing strict testing. Speaking on a podcast with entrepreneur Raj Shamani, Shukla shared how DRDO’s Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL) worked to develop Indian space food and why only Gajar Ka Halwa, Moong Dal Ka Halwa and Aamras finally made it aboard the ISS. DRDO prepared many Indian dishes, but only three were certified According to Shukla, DFRL had created an extensive menu of Indian meals for the mission. The list included popular dishes like khichdi, pulao, vegetables, and several other Indian recipes. However, after the required testing process, only three dishes were certified for space: Explaining the effort, Shukla said: We tried to take Indian food. DFRL, which is under DRDO and is making food for the Gaganyaan mission. The aim was to qualify as much as possible. If it is able to fly to the Station, it is certified, and it can be flown to space. Why didn’t the other dishes make it? Sending food to space is much more complicated than packing a lunch box. Every food item must pass several safety and quality tests before it can be approved. According to Shukla, one of the biggest challenges was the limited time available before the mission. There may have been some additional tests that they would have wanted to do, but they might not have enough time to do those tests. So only three foods could be qualified. Food meant for astronauts must: Because of these strict requirements, many dishes could not complete the certification process in time. Also read: SpaceX delays ‘Starship Flight 13′ launch again:World’s largest rocket liftoff deferred to 25 July due to unfavourable weather

Ironically, Shukla couldn’t eat the Indian food Although the three Indian dishes travelled to space, Shukla revealed that he never got to eat them. Instead, he shared them with the rest of the Axiom-4 crew, giving his international teammates a chance to experience Indian flavours. I couldn’t eat any Indian food as all three items were shared with my crewmates, and they really enjoyed them. What better way to be in space than sharing food? Why astronauts crave spicy food in space Shukla also revealed that after nearly two weeks aboard the ISS, he started missing spicy and salty Indian food. In space, body fluids shift toward the head because of microgravity. This often gives astronauts a blocked-nose feeling, reducing both their sense of taste and smell. At the same time, NASA’s meals contain less salt to help protect astronauts’ health during long-duration missions. Recalling the experience, Shukla said: I started craving salty and spicy food. I even called my flight surgeon and asked if I could get something salty. The first snacks he enjoyed after returning to Earth After landing back on Earth, Shukla finally got the taste he had been missing. His Indian flight surgeon welcomed him with banana chips and bhakarwadi, simple snacks that felt extra special after spending weeks in orbit.