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India successfully landed a spacecraft on the so-far unexplored south pole of the moon on Wednesday. The chief of the Indian Space Research Organization made the announcement as the landing commenced.

The Chandrayaan-3 landed on the moon after 6 p.m. local time, and was received with nationwide celebration.

This mission is likely to greatly help Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to present India as one worthy of asserting its place among the global elite. India now joins the ranks of the United States, former Soviet Union, and China as the fourth country to land a craft on the moon.

In addition, India now becomes the first and only nation so far to land a spacecraft on the south pole of the lunar surface.

The craft’s mission is to analyze the mineral composition of the south pole’s surface, partially in an effort to discover the possibility of water in the region.