New Delhi recently hosted the Russian-Indian friendship cycling rally dedicated to the 77th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the two countries and the 40th anniversary of the first Indian cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma’s spaceflight as part of the Soviet-Indian crew.

"The event was organized by the Russian Embassy in India jointly with the Confederation of Indian Cyclists. It is the second time such a rally took place in New Delhi — the first one was held exactly a year ago," read a statement issued by the Russian Embassy in India.

"Today, it brought together more than 600 people — the Embassy’s staff, compatriots living in India, students of local and Russian universities, representatives of the diplomatic corps and the public, journalists — united by a passion for cycling," it said.

Among its participants was Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov who underscored the significance of such events that confirm the strong friendship ties between the two countries.