For all those curious in this thread. And For those wondering what benefit this can possibly serve. There is no cold war like situation here in India. Also US and Russia have already been there. There is also a huge problem of poverty, corruption and every other social evil known to man exists in India. So why go to mars? For a country of India's size, you will never ever go to space if you wait till all other proble…
I don't think the first man on Mars will want to go down in history as an American, personally. At least, if that is how it is pitched and sold - s/American/Indian/g - then I have to say that I am terrified of the sudden lurch of the species towards a planet of immense resources, bereft of any intervention of industry besides .. simply .. the technology to get there and do stuff.
It may be a sense of great national pride, but for no great pride ought this matter of human control over another planet be achieved!
Send Robots to Mars, not Men! Turn over the keys to the enter species, not one single brand/variant of it!