Russian cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) have extended Independence Day wishes to India, marking the occasion with the Indian tricolour and a message celebrating the close ties between the two countries in space exploration.
With India set to mark its 80th Independence Day, the cosmonauts reflected on the history of cooperation between India and Russia, particularly their decades-long partnership in space missions and human spaceflight.
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‘Path of self-reliance and prosperity’
“Dear friends, today the Republic of India is celebrating its 80th Independence Day,” cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov said, extending wishes for peace and prosperity to the Indian people.
{{/usCountry}}“Dear friends, today the Republic of India is celebrating its 80th Independence Day,” cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov said, extending wishes for peace and prosperity to the Indian people.
{{/usCountry}}“India broke free from colonial rule and embarked on a path of self-reliance and prosperity,” Dubrov added.
The message also highlighted the connection between India's Independence Day and another significant milestone in space history. This year marks 65 years since Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel into space.
India-Russia space ties
Gagarin's visit to India in November 1961 further strengthened the bond between the Soviet Union and India. During the visit, he became an important symbol of the friendship developing between the two countries.
Recalling Gagarin's impressions of India, the cosmonauts said he had described the country as beautiful when viewed from space, but even more beautiful on Earth because it was home to “true friends.”
India and Russia's cooperation in space has spanned several decades. In 1975, the Soviet Union launched Aryabhata, India's first satellite, marking an important early milestone in the partnership. Nearly a decade later, in 1984, Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian to travel into space when he flew aboard the Soviet Soyuz T-11 spacecraft.
India's Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme
According to cosmonaut Anna Kikina, the partnership continues to evolve through India's Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme. Indian astronauts, known as Gaganyatris, have trained at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Russia ahead of India's first crewed space mission.
The cosmonauts also referred to a joint competition organised by Roscosmos, its representative office in India and ISRO to celebrate the two countries' cooperation in space. Entries selected as winners were presented alongside the Independence Day message.
The message concluded with the cosmonauts wishing India peace, prosperity and further achievements in space exploration.
“Long live India-Russia friendship,” cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev said, holding the Indian flag aboard the space station.