India on Thursday became the fourth country to successfully achieve an unmanned docking in space, a feat seen as pivotal for future missions as New Delhi cements its place as a global space power.

The Indian Space Research Organization successfully conducted an uncrewed docking in space, making India the fourth country to complete the maneuver.

India became the world's fourth nation on Thursday to achieve the feat of space docking, a technological milestone that underscores its ambitions to expand its share of a rapidly growing $400-billion global space market.

The Indian Space Research Organization's twin SpaDeX satellites will try to dock in orbit on tonight at around 9:30 p.m. EST (0230 Jan. 9 GMT/0800 IST).

Indian space agency Isro has for the first time successfully conducted space docking by joining together two small craft in space. The technology is essential for the country's future ambition to build an Indian space station and put a person on the Moon.

India postponed its first attempt to dock two SpaDex satellites in Earth orbit from Jan. 6 until Jan. 9, to allow more time for tests.

India on Thursday became the fourth nation in the world to achieve space docking, a technological milestone that underscores its ambitions to expand its share in the rapidly growing $400 billion global space market.

India docked two satellites in space Thursday, a key milestone for the country's dreams of a space station and manned Moon mission, the space agency said."It is a significant stepping stone for India's ambitious space missions in the years to come,