PM Modi Inaugurates Skyroot’s Hyderabad Facility, Unveils Vikram-I Rocket
Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated Skyroot Aerospace’s Infinity Campus in Hyderabad on Thursday, marking a significant milestone for India’s private space sector. During the event, he unveiled the company’s first orbital rocket, Vikram-I, capable of launching satellites into orbit.
Key Takeaways
- PM Modi inaugurated Skyroot’s 2 lakh sq.ft Infinity Campus in Hyderabad
- Vikram-I orbital rocket unveiled with satellite launch capability
- Over 300 space startups now operating in India’s private space ecosystem
- Historic space reforms opened sector to private players since 2020
Historic Space Reforms Bear Fruit
Prime Minister Modi highlighted the government’s “historic” space reforms that opened the sector to private players, enabling innovations like Skyroot’s achievements. “Today in India’s space ecosystem, the private sector was emerging with flying colours,” he stated.
“The Infinity Campus is a reflection of India’s new thought, innovation and the bigger youth power. Youth’s innovation, risk taking ability and entrepreneurship are touching new heights,” the PM noted.
From Bicycles to Global Recognition
Modi traced India’s space journey from its humble beginnings where “rocket parts were moved in a bicycle” to building the “most trusted launch vehicle.” He emphasized that while the journey started with limited resources, “determination decides dreams.”
The Prime Minister noted that India’s space sector has expanded to cover communication, weather prediction, urban planning, and national security, necessitating the historic reforms.
Skyroot’s Manufacturing Capabilities
Skyroot’s state-of-the-art facility spans approximately two lakh square feet for designing, developing, integrating and testing multiple launch vehicles. The campus has capacity to build one orbital rocket every month, significantly boosting India’s private space manufacturing capabilities.
Founded by IIT alumni and former ISRO scientists Pawan Chandana and Bharath Dhaka, Skyroot made history in November 2022 by launching Vikram-S, becoming the first Indian private company to reach space.
Gen Z Driving Space Revolution
Modi highlighted that India’s youth, particularly Gen Z engineers, designers, coders and scientists, are driving innovation in propulsion systems, composite materials, rocket stages, and satellite platforms.
“Today, over 300 Indian space startups are giving new hopes to India’s space future. Teams were small, there were limited resources, but the intentions were to reach great heights,” he said, noting this spirit birthed India’s private space revolution.
The rapid rise of private space enterprises demonstrates the success of transformative reforms by the NDA government, reinforcing India’s position as a confident global space power.
