Zelenskyy hopes India will contribute to efforts for ending Russia-Ukraine war
Kyiv, Aug 15 (PTI): Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday said he hoped New Delhi would contribute to efforts aimed at ending the war with Russia, as he wished India on its Independence Day.
Zelenskyy’s post on X came hours ahead of a summit meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, aimed at ending the war, now in its fourth year.
Congratulating the people of India, President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Zelenskyy said, “This week we had a good, candid conversation with Prime Minister @narendramodi when I had an opportunity to personally convey my best wishes on this occasion.”
“Our nations share the experience of standing up for freedom and dignity, as well as the pursuit of peace and development,” the Ukrainian president wrote.
“We hope that India will contribute to efforts aimed at ending the war, so that our freedom and sovereignty are truly secure,” Zelenskyy said.
“I am confident that the potential for mutually beneficial Ukraine–India cooperation lies ahead — in science, technology, trade, and culture. Wishing peace and prosperity!” he further said.
Trump last week announced an additional 25 per cent tariff on US imports from India -- raising the overall duty to 50 per cent -- as a penalty for the country's continued imports of Russian oil. The tariffs will come into effect from August 27.
India on Thursday said it has not halted oil purchases from Russia in response to the US president's tariff threat and continues to buy based solely on economic considerations.
Responding to the US tariffs, the Ministry of External Affairs had said that the targeting of India is unjustified and unreasonable.
“Like any major economy, India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security,” it said.
Trump has said that India’s purchasing of Russian oil is “fuelling” the war machine.
Congratulations to the people of India, President @rashtrapatibhvn, and Prime Minister @narendramodi on the Independence Day!
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 15, 2025
This week we had a good, candid conversation with Prime Minister @narendramodi when I had an opportunity to personally convey my best wishes on this…
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Indian startup's 'Drishti' satellite launched aboard SpaceX rocket
New Delhi (PTI): Bengaluru-based space start-up GalaxEye's Mission Drishti satellite was launched on Sunday aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket from California.
Mission Drishti is the world's first OptoSAR satellite, integrating electro-optical (EO) and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensors into a single operational platform, according to the company.
While EO sensors capture high-resolution images during sunlight and clear skies, SAR sensors provide all-weather and all-time images, using radar pulses.
In a statement, Suyash Singh, founder and CEO of GalaxEye, said, "With the satellite (Mission Drishti) now successfully in orbit, our immediate focus is on completing its commissioning. As we move through this phase, we are already witnessing strong global interest in the differentiated datasets enabled by our OptoSAR payload."
The satellite will help address long-standing limitations of conventional systems and enable more reliable and consistent data acquisition across diverse environmental conditions, the company said.
As a dual-use Earth observation satellite, the mission will support use cases across defence, agriculture, disaster management, maritime monitoring, and infrastructure planning.
The satellite is also expected to complement India's broader initiatives, including the 29 active Earth Observation satellites outlined in ISRO's recent annual report.
The launch came after five years of indigenous research and development, and extensive environmental testing and performance validation of the Mission Drishti.
In a statement, Lt Gen AK Bhatt (Retd), director general of Indian Space Association (ISpA), said, "GalaxEye has achieved what only a few global players have, which is seamlessly combining optical and SAR capabilities on a single platform to enable persistent, all-weather intelligence."
What stands out is not just the technology, but its broader impact on how downstream applications will increasingly define value in the space economy, particularly in Earth observation, where timely, decision-grade insights are critical," he added.
ISpA is the premier industry association of space and satellite companies in the country.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh also took note of the Mission Drishti launch, saying the development marked a significant milestone in India's space journey.
In a post on X, the minister said, "The successful launch of the world's first OptoSAR satellite, and the largest privately-built satellite in the country, reflects the immense potential of our young innovators driving nation-building."
GalaxEye aims to scale up Mission Drishti to a constellation of 10 satellites by 2030, developing a robust and sovereign Earth observation infrastructure for India.
