In April 1984, Indo-Soviet cooperation literally touched new heights when Swuadron Leader Rakesh Sharma of the Indian Air Force became the first Indian cosmonaut as a member of a joint Soviet-Indian crew aboard the Soyuz T-11 spaceship. In October that year, Indira Gandhi was assassinated.
Her son Rajiv Gandhi, who succeeded her as prime minister, paid a visit to Moscow in May 1985, and then again in 1987. But the old Soviet Union was imploding. Mikhail Gorbachev, the last secretary of the Communist Party, visited India in November 1986.
By 1991, the Soviet Union was history. So was the Indo-Soviet Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation. But the relations between Moscow and New Delhi were built on stronger foundations. Tomorrow: We will look at the state of India's relations with the Russian Federation.
Part II: How India and Russia revived the flame
Photograph: Prime Minister Indira Gandhi converses with Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev over a newly opened communication line, November 2, 1981. Photograph: Courtesy and copyright the Russian News and Information Agency, RIA Novosti. Used with permission.
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