India celebrates independence
Schoolchildren wearing dresses in the colour of the Indian flag sit in front of the 17th century Red Fort during a gathering in New Delhi yesterday to mark 65th anniversary of India’s independence from British rule. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced in a speech marking the event that India plans to send a spacecraft to Mars in November next year in a giant leap forward for science and technology in the country.
He said the unmanned probe would enter orbit around the planet and collect scientific information in a 4.5 bn rupee (£52m) mission.
“This spaceship to Mars will be a huge step for us in the area of science and technology,” he said. Critics of Mr Singh’s Congress party say the government’s priorities are wrong and it should concentrate instead on providing the basic needs of people such as electricity and safe drinking water.