Russia`s First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov has announced the country`s readiness to share its extensive expertise in space activities with India. This collaboration specifically targets piloted space missions, advanced rocket engine construction, and satellite navigation systems.
The announcement came during the 26th meeting of the Intergovernmental Russian-Indian Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific-Technical, and Cultural Cooperation, held on Wednesday in Moscow. The session was co-chaired by Manturov and India`s Minister of External Affairs, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
Manturov emphasized, “We are prepared to share our competencies in space activities, particularly in human spaceflight, rocket engine manufacturing, and the satellite navigation sector.”
India is actively progressing with its `Gaganyaan` program, designed to be the nation`s inaugural human spaceflight mission. This ambitious project plans to send a crew of astronauts into orbit at an altitude of 400 kilometers for a three-day mission before their return to Earth. Earlier in 2024, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced the four chosen astronauts, who have completed rigorous technical and physical training, including specialized instruction at Russia`s Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.
Should the Gaganyaan program succeed, India will join an elite group as the fourth nation, following Russia, the United States, and China, to independently launch humans into space.
Rupert Blackwood 
Clement Ashworth