India, July 20 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi appeared to take an indirect swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi while addressing the media ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament on Monday. Praising the young team behind private space startup Skyroot Aerospace and its successful Vikram-1 launch, India's first private orbital-class rocket, PM Modi said he was "not speaking of a 56-year-old youth," in what was widely seen as a dig at the Congress MP.

"India's youth have embarked on a new journey into space. I was told that the average age of the entire team working at the 'Skyroot' startup is merely 28 years. Young people like these have accomplished this feat. I am not speaking of a 56-year-old youth," he said. Rahul Gandhi turned 56...