India to buy Russian rocket engines for its space mission: Russia Deputy PM

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov stated that India is planning to buy rocket engines from Russia to expand its national space programme. Borisov visited New Delhi on Monday, July 22. 

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar discussed bilateral collaborations in key sectors including trade, energy and space with Borisov at a meeting held on Monday. The upcoming Eastern Economic Forum, which will be held in Vladivostok in Russia, in which Russian President Vladimir Putin invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also discussed.

On Monday, India successfully launched its second lunar mission 'Chandrayaan-2'. The 43.4 metre tall, 640-tonne rocket, termed 'Bahubali', carried the 3.8-tonne Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft.

The ambitious mission's attempt to make a controlled landing on the moon's surface will help India achieve global space power status. Only the US, Russia and China have been able to make the feat till now. 

Space strategy

Earlier this month, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, the visiting Director General of Russia's space agency ROSCOSMOS and former Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin discussed the "possibilities for the production of space systems in India".

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, "Cooperation in futuristic technologies, including new space systems, rocket engines, propellants and propulsion systems, spacecraft and launch vehicle technology were also discussed."

The strategic partnership between Russia and India was said to "elevate bilateral cooperation to the next level keeping in mind the privileged partnership and India's priorities such as Make in India programme," the MEA said.

The details regarding the Gaganyaan Mission, a crewed orbital spacecraft that is designed to carry three people to space in 2022 was also discussed. Russia will provide astronaut training as well as provide assistance to India in the development of the launcher.

"In addition, the Russian side stated that they would like to see India participate in the International Space Station, and offered its full support for this purpose," the statement said.