When I first heard that India is sending a probe to The Red Planet, I googled it and turns out the news was right on that matter. This then made me rethink and from what I remember, India was a country in which the people there are suffering so much until cases of gangrape became quite often in certain areas. Poverty was a common sight, and yet they still want to go on with the program that will cost them $73 billion?
To me, the leaders are indirectly saying - "We believe that the space program is much more crucial than your current condition of poverty, healthcare and even hunger. This program will benefit us all and it is the right thing to do."
Once, I also came across a meme saying that after he knew India had a space program, he stopped sending aid to the countries' poor and will focus on another that really needs help and not just acting as if they need any.
This reminded me on a case back in my own country where a woman who apparently received zakat every now and then. (For your information, zakat is a tax-charity-like system that runs in all Islamic rule. There is a few types, such as zakat for the gold that one has, income zakat, and even a compulsory yearly one. This will then be divided among asnafs, which is those who are eligible to receive help from the zakat). This woman was an asnaf on paper but word traveled that she was actually rich. Officers from that zakat department then paid her a visit and checked her savings. To their awe, it was even bigger than those of the officers'.
A simple answer was given from the woman - "I want to perform my hajj."
That woman was not wrong in wanting to perform her hajj, maybe nobody told her that it was not compulsory for everyone, it is only for those who are capable of going - both physically and economically.
Sorry India, but your space program clearly shows that you are capable of taking care of your people, you only choose not to.
P/S: I also saw on Facebook than Indonesia is planning to send a man into space too, don't know how far this is true though, will look back into it soon.
Picture taken from lowyat.net