PM Modi unveils India’s first private orbital rocket, Vikram-I; It will carry satellites weighing up to 300 kg into space
Skyroot's Vikram-I is India's first private orbital rocket and is capable of carrying a 300 kg satellite.
New Delhi: PM Modi on Thursday, 27 November 2025, unveiled India(BHARAT)’s first private orbital rocket, Vikram-I, via video conferencing. The rocket stands 26 meters (approximately 85 feet) tall. The rocket was built by private space company Skyroot Aerospace. It will be launched in 2026. It is capable of carrying a 300 kg satellite.
PM Modi inaugurates Infinity Campus
In addition to the rocket, the PM also inaugurated the company’s new Infinity Campus, which will house the design, development, integration, and testing of various launch vehicles. The campus is located in Hyderabad, Telangana, and also houses the company’s head office.
About Skyroot Aerospace
Skyroot Aerospace was founded in 2018 by Pawan Chandana and Bharat Dhaka, both IIT graduates and former ISRO scientists. Skyroot previously launched the Vikram-S rocket in 2022, a sub-orbital rocket that reached 100 km but failed to enter Earth’s orbit.
Skyroot’s Vikram-I is India(BHARAT)’s first private orbital rocket. It will enter Earth’s orbit and is capable of carrying a 300 kg satellite.
PM Modi attended the event via video conferencing from New Delhi.
What did PM Modi say?
Here, we are sharing excerpts from PM Narendra Modi’s address.
“Today, India(BHARAT) is taking great strides in the private sector of the space ecosystem. Skyroot’s Infinity Campus is a reflection of India(BHARAT)’s new thinking and innovation. The innovation and risk-taking capabilities of our youth are reaching new heights. Today’s event is a reflection of the fact that in the future, India(BHARAT) will emerge as a leader in the global rocket sector.”
The PM said about Skyroot’s founders, “You both believed in yourselves and were unwavering in taking risks. The entire country is seeing the results of this today. ISRO has propelled India(BHARAT)’s space journey for decades. The space sector is expanding in changing times. That’s why we implemented historic reforms in India(BHARAT)’s space sector.
“The government opened the space sector to private innovation. A new space policy was formulated. We have strived to connect startups with innovation.
This is reflected in today’s program. India(BHARAT)’s youth prioritise national interests. They utilise every opportunity wisely. When the government opened the space sector, our Gen Z youth stepped forward to take advantage.”
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