With tricolour in hand, Russian cosmonauts send Independence Day wishes to India

Russian cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station sent Independence Day greetings to India while holding the tricolour. The message underlined decades of India-Russia space cooperation, from Aryabhata to Gaganyaan.

In Short

• Pyotr Dubrov wished Indians peace and prosperity in the recorded message
• The crew linked the occasion to Yuri Gagarin's first human spaceflight
• They recalled Gagarin's 1961 India visit and praise for true friends

As India prepares to celebrate its 80th Independence Day, Russian cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station have sent a special message to the people of India, holding the Indian tricolour in their hands while highlighting the decades-old friendship between the two countries in space exploration.

In a video message, the cosmonauts congratulated India and recalled the long history of cooperation between Moscow and New Delhi, describing space exploration as one of the key pillars of the relationship.

“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.

They also drew a connection between India's Independence Day celebrations and a landmark anniversary in human spaceflight. This year marks 65 years since Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel into space.

Gagarin visited India in November 1961, becoming one of the earliest symbols of the growing friendship between India and the Soviet Union. The cosmonauts recalled his famous appreciation of India, saying the country was beautiful from space but even more beautiful on Earth because it was home to “true friends.”

The message also highlighted the long history of India-Russia cooperation in space. The partnership dates back to 1975, when the Soviet Union launched Aryabhata, India's first satellite.

Nearly a decade later, in 1984, Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian to travel to space, flying aboard the Soviet spacecraft Soyuz T-11. His historic mission became another defining moment in the relationship between the two countries.

Cosmonaut Anna Kikina noted that the partnership has now entered a new era with India's ambitious Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme. Indian astronauts, or Gaganyatris, have undergone training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Russia as part of preparations for India's first crewed spaceflight.

The message also mentioned a joint competition organised by Roscosmos, its representative office in India and ISRO, celebrating cooperation between the two nations in space. Winning entries from the competition were showcased alongside the Independence Day message.

Ending their message, the Russian cosmonauts wished India peace, prosperity and continued success in space exploration.

“Long live India-Russia friendship,” cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev said, with the Indian flag held proudly aboard the space station.

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