Russia Offers Space Flight to Indian Astronauts

Russia has offered to partner with India in the area of manned space flights and satellite programs if the would-be program is implemented within the BRICS.

"We are looking for partners in the area of manned space flights. India can be our partner, especially if a would-be manned program is implemented within the BRICS. If we help India, become its strategic partner in the area of manned space flights, we do it consciously because in this event they will be adjusted to joint work with us on a future station. And we would like to see the Indians as our equal partners on the future manned program," CEO of Russia’s state space corporation Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin was quoted as saying after a meeting with Advisor to Indian Prime Minister Ajit Kumar Doval by TASS on Tuesday.

Rogozin said earlier Roscosmos was looking at a project for the construction of a lunar research station, which could be implemented either domestically or within international cooperation. According to Roscosmos, the program may involve BRICS nations. Apart from that, Russia is ready to cooperate with India on a wide spectrum of space programs, the agency reported.

"Apart from that, we are ready to discuss cooperation with India in the area of spacecraft-building and engine-building. It is secret to no one that Russia is a global leader in the area of space engines and, despite the tough sanction policy, the United States continues to buy our engines. We are ready to sell such engines to the India side as well," Rogozin said.