One of the most stunning and far-reaching breakthroughs that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and state visit to India over Dec. 4-5 produced is the agreement and accompanying deals the two countries reached on the matter of space and space exploration. This includes the agreement involving the joint production and 100% technology transfer for Russia’s advanced RD-191M semi-cryogenic rocket engine.
These agreements mean the close integration of the Russian and Indian space programs in key areas.
During Russian President Putin’s India visit, Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, who works closely with India, said in an interview with RT: “It is no secret that we trained Indian astronauts. In this area, our competence allows us to share our work, and given the privileged level of strategic cooperation with India, we have no limits in the sphere of providing scientific and technological solutions that will allow our Indian colleagues to implement their program faster.”
The joint statement that Russia and India issued at the end of their annual summit declares: “Noting the importance and cooperation in Space, the two Sides welcomed the enhanced partnership between the Indian Space Research Organization [ISRO] and the Russian State Space Corporation ‘Roscosmos’ in the use of outer space for peaceful purposes, including the human spaceflight programs, satellite navigation and planetary exploration.”
