India, Russia working for legal framework for space programme

Vinay Shukla
Moscow, Feb 10 (PTI) India and Russia are working to
put in place a legal framework for their cooperation in Indian
Space Research Organisation (ISRO)'s manned space programme,
which involves use of Russian 'Soyuz' spaceship, a top
official has said.
"We are currently in talks with the Indian side for
cooperation in some stages of their manned space mission
programme, which not only involves the use of Russian 'Soyuz'
space ship, but also the development of Indian space ship and
launch vehicles," Head of the Federal Space Agency 'Roskosmos'
Anatoly Perminov told Voice of Russia Radio.
"Some of the issues require clearance from our
government, that's why we are working on the legal framework
of the project," Perminov added.
During President Dmitry Medvedev's New Delhi visit in
December 2008, ISRO and Roskosmos had signed a MoU for
cooperation in the Indian manned space programme and the talks
are underway for acquiring a Soyuz spaceship, which would take
two Indian astronauts on an orbital mission under the command
of a Russian cosmonaut. (MORE) PTI