BAIKONUR. June 17 (Interfax-AVN) - A Indian astronaut space mission on board a Russian Soyuz rocket, which has been planned for 2013, will be delayed, Energia Aerospace Corporation President Vitaly Lopota said.
"We have agreed to assist India in space exploration projects. Unfortunately, India did not give us an answer before we drafted the plan for space flights for the next few years," he said.
"The delay of their [Indian] participation in our space programs is being discussed," Lopota said.
Earlier reports said that India might buy a Russian Soyuz for sending two astronauts on mission in 2013. It was supposed to be a multi-day flight without docking with the International Space Station (ISS). A Russian cosmonaut was expected to be the crew commander.