R ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, NOV 27
In a landmark moment for India’s private space ecosystem, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Skyroot Aerospace’s Infinity Campus in Hyderabad via video conferencing on Wednesday, marking a major leap in the country’s rapidly evolving space sector. The event also witnessed the unveiling of Vikram-I, Skyroot’s first orbital rocket capable of launching satellites into space—an achievement that symbolises India’s new era of private-sector-led space innovation.
Modi said India is witnessing an unprecedented transformation as youth-led innovation, risk-taking and entrepreneurship propel the space industry to new heights. Describing Skyroot’s founders, Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka, as trailblazers of a new generation, he noted that their journey reflects the spirit of thousands of young Indian innovators building the country’s future.
- PM inaugurates Hyderabad facility; showcases India’s first private orbital rocket
- Young innovators, deep-tech talent and 300+ space startups fuel a national transformation
- Reforms, research push and global investor interest position India as a future space superpower
The Prime Minister reminded the audience that India’s space story began with humble resources—rockets transported on bicycles and bullock carts—yet the country went on to build some of the world’s most reliable launch vehicles. He credited ISRO’s decades of credibility, capacity and value creation for placing India firmly on the global space map.
Modi highlighted that in the last six to seven years, India has transformed its space sector into an open, cooperative and innovation-driven ecosystem. Opening the sector to private players, introducing a forward-looking Space Policy, and creating IN-SPACe to grant startups access to ISRO facilities have collectively sparked a Private Space Revolution. Today, more than 300 space startups—many born in small rooms with two to five people—are pushing boundaries in propulsion, composites, satellite platforms and deep-tech design.
Noting the global surge in demand for small satellites, Modi said India holds rare capabilities possessed by only a handful of nations: expert engineering talent, a top-tier manufacturing ecosystem, world-class launch infrastructure and an innovation mindset. These strengths, coupled with cost-effective and reliable solutions, have made India an attractive destination for global satellite manufacturing, launch services and technology partnerships.
The Prime Minister said the momentum in the space sector aligns with India’s broader startup boom—spanning FinTech, AgriTech, HealthTech, ClimateTech, EduTech and DefenseTech—and powered by Gen-Z innovators. With 1.5 lakh registered startups and multiple unicorns, India has now emerged as the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem.
Modi also outlined the government’s long-term tech vision: strengthening semiconductor manufacturing, building a robust electronics value chain, and opening the nuclear sector to private participation—creating opportunities in modular and advanced reactors. To accelerate research, the government has established the National Research Foundation, expanded access to global journals via One Nation, One Subscription, announced a ₹1 lakh crore RDI Fund, and set up over 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs, with plans for 50,000 more.
Affirming that the coming era belongs to India’s youth, Modi said India will scale new launch capacities and create five new space-tech unicorns within five years. The success of Skyroot, he said, proves that these aspirations are well within reach.
Concluding his address, the Prime Minister assured startups, scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs that the government stands firmly with them. He called on the nation to work together to make the 21st century the century of India—on Earth and in space.
