'Ready and looking forward' to training Indian astronauts: Russia

Russia is "ready and looking forward" to training a team of Indian astronauts for the Gaganyaan mission, Moscow diplomat Roman Babushkin said on Friday.

"A team of Indian astronauts is going to Russia this month. We have very good expertise in Russia on how to train astronauts which we have developed over decades. We are ready and looking forward to sharing what we have with India," Russian deputy ambassador to India, Babushkin, said during a press conference on Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's visit to India for the Raisina Dialogue 2020.

At this year's annual press conference, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief K Sivan had announced that four astronauts have been selected to undergo training in Russia for the Gaganyaan mission.

The four astronauts, shortlisted for the mission, will receive training for 11 months. All the four astronauts selected for the mission are men but their identity cannot be revealed, Union Minister of State (MoS), Jitendra Singh had revealed.

After 11 months of training in Russia, the astronauts will receive module-specific training in India.

They will be trained in crew and service module designed by ISRO, learn to operate it, work around it and do simulations. As per the ISRO sources, India's heaviest launch vehicle "Bahubali" GSLV Mark-III will the carry astronauts to space.

The Narendra Modi government has sanctioned Rs.10,000 crores for the Gaganyaan project. The Gaganyaan launch will coincide with the 75th year of India's Independence, 2022.