China on Wednesday hailed India’s successful Mars mission saying that it was not only a proud achievement for the country and Asia but also a “landmark progress” in mankind’s exploration of outer space, in a rare acknowledgment of its Asian rival’s rising space prowess.
“We have seen the report and congratulate India on the Mars satellite entering the orbit successfully,” China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told the media.
“This is pride of India and pride of Asia and also is a landmark progress in humankind’s exploration of outer space,” she said.
“The total cost of the Indian mission has been put at Rs 4.5 billion ($ 74 million), cheaper than the cost of making a Hollywood movie,” the Xinhua report said.
The US on Wednesday congratulated India for entering into the elite group of space-faring nations after the succesful insertion of Mars Orbiter Mission into the planet’s orbit.
“The US Embassy congratulates India and the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) on its Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM). India is in an elite group of space-faring nations by achieving insertion into Mars orbit,” a statement from the US embassy here said.
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