Russia’s space agency Roscosmos is in talks with Indian officials about selling its rocket engines to India and licensing their production, the agency’s head told state media Friday.
“The main task is to work through the engines, primarily their sale and localized production,” Roscosmos CEO Dmitry Bakanov said, without indicating any possible contracts or timelines, suggesting the discussions may still be at an early stage.
Bakanov is part of Russia’s delegation accompanying President Vladimir Putin on his state visit to New Delhi this week.
Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday signed a joint statement noting “progress in mutually beneficial cooperation in rocket engine development, production and use,” though it did not mention any specific agreements.
The statement also reaffirmed plans to deepen collaboration between Roscosmos and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on crewed spaceflight, satellite navigation and planetary research.
Last year, Putin and Modi had already agreed to “explore prospects for advancing cooperation” on rocket engine development and production.
Interfax reported at the time that Roscosmos was “actively discussing” the supply and transfer of rocket-engine technology with India and China.
Those talks reportedly centered on the RD-170/171 family of Soviet-era liquid-fuel engines used in medium and heavy rockets, including those carrying satellites and crewed spacecraft.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
