Space News

India & Russia

The Russian Deputy Chief of Mission, Roman Babushkin, has praised India's strides in space exploration, affirming Russia's steadfast support for its endeavors in this domain. Speaking on the 40th anniversary of Rakesh Sharma's historic spaceflight aboard the Soviet spacecraft Soyuz T-11 in 1984, Babushkin underscored the enduring partnership between Russia and India in space exploration.

Babushkin highlighted the success of India's Chandrayaan-3 mission and collaborative efforts in the Gaganyaan project, emphasizing Russia's consistent backing for Indian achievements in space. He commemorated Rakesh Sharma's groundbreaking accomplishment as India's first astronaut, lauding India's independent space research program and its assistance to other nations in satellite launches.

Ahead of the 77th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia and India, Babushkin reaffirmed Russia's unwavering support for India's space endeavors, citing significant milestones such as Chandrayaan-3's recent triumph and the ambitious Gaganyaan mission.

Acknowledging Russia's historical collaboration with India in space exploration since 1975, Babushkin highlighted the pivotal role played by Russia in nurturing India's space capabilities, including astronaut training and spacecraft development. He emphasized the special and privileged strategic partnership between the two countries, noting Russia's enduring support for Indian success in space exploration.

Babushkin noted India's evolution into a space superpower with a robust national space program, recognized globally for its reliability and excellence in satellite launching. He emphasized the close cooperation between ISRO and Roscosmos in various aspects of space exploration, including astronaut training, spacecraft development, and space medicine capacity building.

Highlighting the extensive partnership between India and Russia in space propulsion engineering, cryogen engine construction, and satellite navigation, Babushkin also underscored collaboration in establishing ground stations for communication signals and exploring opportunities for involvement of the private sector and startups in space initiatives.

Babushkin emphasized the close coordination between India and Russia at multilateral platforms such as the UN Outer Space Committee, focusing on preventing arms races in outer space and promoting initiatives for peaceful space exploration.

Reflecting on upcoming milestones, including the 63rd anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's first human space journey and the 77th anniversary of Russia-India diplomatic relations, Babushkin highlighted the significance of space exploration in fostering bilateral cooperation and friendship.

On Wednesday, the Russian Embassy and TASS News Agency organized a photo exhibition featuring archival materials and a documentary screening on Rakesh Sharma's journey to outer space. Sharma's historic flight aboard Soyuz T-11 from Baikonur Cosmodrome marked India's entry into space exploration, with significant contributions in biomedicine and remote sensing.

Sharma's scientific studies and experiments during his space mission, including remote sensing and biomedicine research, showcased India's capabilities in space exploration. His iconic response to then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's question about how India looked from outer space, "Saare Jahaan Se Achcha," resonated as a testament to India's pride in its achievements in space exploration.

Babushkin's remarks underscored the deep-rooted partnership between Russia and India in space exploration, highlighting India's significant strides and contributions to global space endeavors. The commemoration of Rakesh Sharma's spaceflight serves as a reminder of the enduring friendship and cooperation between the two nations in the pursuit of scientific advancement and exploration beyond Earth's boundaries.