Tricolour aboard ISS as Russian cosmonauts greet India on Independence Day
With India set to mark its 80th Independence Day, the cosmonauts reflected on the history of cooperation between India and Russia.
Russian cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) extended greetings to India on its 80th Independence Day, highlighting the strong bond between the two nations in space exploration. Cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov wished the Indian people peace and prosperity, reflecting on India's journey from colonial rule to self-reliance.
The cosmonauts noted that India's Independence Day coincides with the 65th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's historic first human spaceflight, a milestone that strengthened ties between the Soviet Union and India. Gagarin's visit to India in 1961 marked the beginning of a strong friendship, as he described the country as beautiful both from space and on Earth.
India and Russia's cooperation in space dates back to 1975, when the Soviet Union launched Aryabhata, India's first satellite. The partnership continued with Rakesh Sharma becoming the first Indian in space in 1984 aboard the Soviet Soyuz T-11. Current cooperation includes India's Gaganyaan human spaceflight program, with Indian astronauts trained at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Russia.
Cosmonauts also referred to a joint competition between Roscosmos, its Indian representative office, and ISRO, celebrating the countries' space cooperation. Cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev concluded the message by wishing India further achievements in space exploration and reaffirming the enduring friendship between India and Russia.
Written by urgent.news from Hindustan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
