MOSCOW, May 8. /TASS/. As part of its cooperation with Russia, India has transitioned from being a recipient of technologies and capabilities in the rocket and space industry to being an active participant in international exchange and development in this area, Pyotr Topychkanov, head of the Section for New Challenges in South and Southeast Asia at the Center of the Indo-Pacific Region at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told TASS in an interview.
"When we began this cooperation, India was a beneficiary of the technologies and capabilities available to the USSR. <…> But in the 1990s, we encountered a situation where India no longer viewed itself merely as a recipient. It was interested in developing its own technologies. Now we see India integrated into the international system of technology exchange and development. It doesn’t look only to us. It is most interested in developing technologies domestically. In particular, India is closely cooperating with Israel on Earth remote sensing satellites," the expert noted.
Furthermore, according to Topychkanov, the main focus between the Soviet Union and India was the development of satellites and launch vehicles. Indian specialists also learned about the operation of the Soviet Union’s ground-based communications infrastructure, spaceports, and cosmonaut and pilot training. "Currently, the Indians continue to exploit and develop rocket and satellite technologies closely linked to the experience of the USSR and Russia. In particular, they are currently interested in the development of heavy rockets and their engines, because human missions are only possible with their use," the expert added.