India would launch its first manned space flights by sending two astronauts into orbit in a Russian spaceship in 2013, according to reports.
For this, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is to finance the acquisition of a Soyuz spaceship and train its astronauts by a Russian commander.
The Russian cosmonaut would lead the two-member crew on an independent space flight lasting several days, Voice of Russia radio reported.
Quoting deputy chief of Russian space agency (Roskosmos) Vitaly Davidov the radio said the flight of Indian astronauts would not involve a mission to the International Space Station.
