New Delhi: Russia’s Deputy Chief of Mission Roman Babushkin has hailed India’s remarkable achievements in space exploration and underscored Russia’s unwavering support for its space endeavours.
On the 40th anniversary of the spaceflight of the first Indian cosmonaut, Rakesh Sharma aboard the soviet spacecraft Soyuz T-11 in 1984, Babushkin emphasised the enduring partnership between India and Russia in the space sector. Babushkin’s remarks also highlighted the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission and the collaborative efforts in the Gaganyaan project.
Babushkin said that Russia always favours India’s success and emphasises historic collaboration symbolised by figures like Rakesh Sharma. He commemorated the achievements of Rakesh Sharma who made a great name for himself in history as India’s first astronaut. Babushkin lauded India’s independent space research programme which not only benefits the nation but also extends assistance to other nations in satellite launches.
Speaking ahead of the 77th Anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the two countries, Babushkin highlighted Russia’s unwavering support for India’s space endeavours, emphasising India’s significant milestones in the field. From Chandrayaan 3’s recent triumph to the ambitious Gaganyaan mission, Russia has played a pivotal role in nurturing India’s space capabilities, including training astronauts and aiding in spacecraft developments.
While addressing the gathering at the Russian embassy he said that the space domain stands as a testament to the special and privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia. Babushkin added that Russia as a pioneer in space exploration has always favoured India’s success. He also said that their engagements date back to 1975 when the then-Soviet Union helped India launch Aryabhata, India’s first satellite. The second satellite, Bhaskara was launched by the Soviet Union in 1979.
Mentioning India’s Chandrayaan mission he said that India now has developed its robust national space programme and enjoys the status of space superpower, a well-reputed, reliable and preferred global partner for space science and satellite launching and the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission is a huge landmark. Speaking further on the India-Russia space collaboration, Babushkin underlined the collaboration of ISRO and Roscosmos cooperation. The diplomat said that Russia remains one of India’s leading partners. Roscosmos and ISRO are deeply involved in the implementation of the Indian Gaganyaan mission by training astronauts, providing assistance in the development of manned spacecraft, supplying life support and crew escape systems, flight suits, couches, rate sensors, cooperating on thermal protection coatings, applied materials and space medicines capacity building.
He added that the vibrant partnership between both countries includes space propulsion engineering, cryogen engine construction, satellite navigation, and establishing stations for receiving communication signals. He also said that both countries are exploring new tracks emanating from the prospects of wider involvement in the private sector and startups.
Babushkin further added how India and Russia closely coordinate at the dedicated multilateral platforms, first UN and its outer space committee and said that April holds a reason to celebrate. He said that India and Russia keep an in-depth dialogue to prevent an arms race in outer space and promote the Russian initiative of non-placement of weapons in outer space as this is also part of Russia’s agenda in BRICS.
Babushkin said that both countries have a lot to celebrate this month including the 63rd anniversary of the first human space journey by Yuri Gagarin on April 12 as well as establishment of India-Russia diplomatic ties on April 13. On Wednesday the Russian embassy and TASS news agency jointly arranged a dedicated photo exhibition which included a unique archieve of photographic materials along with screening of the documentary “How I became a cosmonaut”.
Rakesh Sharma went on to become the first Indian citizen to reach outer space when he flew aborad the Soviet rocket Soyuz T-11 launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome.
