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Russian cosmonauts hail India-Russia space ties in I-Day message
The team wished India peace and prosperity on its Independence Day.
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Staff Reporter - Tue, 11, Aug 2026
- 01:36 EDT
- 18
RUSSIA-INDIA / Ministry of Culture VIA X
Russian cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station have praised the time-tested friendship and cooperation between Russia and India as they extended heartfelt greetings to Indians ahead of the country's 80th Independence Day on Aug. 15.
In a video message, the cosmonauts — Pyotr Dubrov, Anna Kikina and Andrey Fedyaev — congratulated Indians, describing space exploration as one of the key pillars of the relationship.
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“Dear friends, today the Republic of India is celebrating its 80th Independence Day,” cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov said.
“Eight decades ago, India broke free from colonial rule and embarked on a journey toward self-reliance and prosperity,” Dubrov said. He also highlighted that 2026 marks 65 years since Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel into space.
In November 1961, Gagarin visited India and said that “India is very beautiful from above, but it is even more beautiful on Earth. It is special because it is home to true friends. The friendship between our countries has been time-tested, and space exploration is one of the main areas of our cooperation,” cosmonaut Kikina recalled Gagarin as saying.
India-Russia space cooperation started with the launch of the first Indian satellite, Aryabhata, in 1975 and was followed by the flight of the first Indian cosmonaut, Rakesh Sharma, in 1984, she said.
Привет!
— Ministry of Culture (@MinOfCultureGoI) August 10, 2026
As we gear up to celebrate our 80th Independence Day, Russian cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station have sent a heartfelt message to all Indians! Watch
Our Tiranga continues to inspire and unite us, transcending Earth's boundaries and reaching the cosmos.… pic.twitter.com/Ap6G8CeCR7
Today, India creates its own main spacecraft, Gaganyaan, and Indian “Gaganots” (astronauts) have already been trained at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Zvezdny Gorodok, she said.
“This year, the Roscosmos State Corporation, the Rossotrudnichestvo Representative Office in the Republic of India and the Indian Space Research Organisation held a joint competition dedicated to cooperation between Russia and India in space,” said cosmonaut Fedyaev. He said that the winning entries from the competition were showcased alongside the Independence Day message.
The team wished India peace and prosperity on its Independence Day.
“Let the dreams inspire future generations to achieve new victories in the exploration of outer space. Long live India-Russia friendship!” Fedyaev said.
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