India’s private space sector crossed a historic threshold on Thursday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Skyroot Aerospace’s Infinity Campus, now the largest private rocket manufacturing facility in the country, and unveiled Vikram-1, India’s first privately built commercial orbital rocket.
The inauguration represents one of the most significant milestones achieved under India’s NewSpace Policy, which seeks to boost the nation’s share in the global space economy five-fold to $44 billion by 2033 by enabling private-sector-led innovation, manufacturing, and launch services.
Calling the new facility “a symbol of India’s new thinking and the power of youth,” the Prime Minister said the progress shown by Skyroot reflected the country’s rising capability in high-technology manufacturing and satellite launch services.
A New Manufacturing Powerhouse for India’s Space Industry
The 200,000-square-foot Infinity Campus enables Skyroot to manufacture one orbital rocket every month, marking a dramatic scale-up in India’s private industrial capacity. Equipped with automated filament winding systems, precision CNC facilities, cleanrooms for carbon composites, and integrated testing infrastructure, it significantly expands the nation’s ability to serve global customers.
The new facility complements Skyroot’s Max-Q Campus, launched in 2023, which focuses on design, engineering, and core development work.
Vikram-1: A Leap in Private Orbital Capability
Unveiled by the Prime Minister during the ceremony, Vikram-1 is Skyroot’s first orbital-class rocket and builds upon the company’s earlier success with Vikram-S, India’s first private rocket launched in 2022.
Key technological breakthroughs in Vikram-1 include:
- India’s first all-carbon-fiber launch vehicle
- 3D-printed hypergolic engines, demonstrating advanced private-sector manufacturing
- The Kalam-1200 booster, the largest privately built rocket stage in India
- The rocket is designed for multi-satellite deployment and is expected to serve both domestic and international small-satellite operators.
A Turning Point for Private Spaceflight
The unveiling was widely celebrated across India’s space community.
Lt. Gen. AK Bhatt (Retd.), Director General of the Indian Space Association (ISpA), said the new developments show India’s private players are maturing rapidly.
“Skyroot’s progress from Vikram-S to Vikram-I highlights how Indian startups are now building end-to-end launch capabilities for the global small-satellite market. The ability to roll out an orbital rocket every month demonstrates how India is moving from being primarily a launch destination to becoming a competitive manufacturing hub in the global space value chain.”
Dr. Pawan Goenka, Chairman of IN-SPACe, noted that India’s reforms had catalyzed remarkable growth. “Five years ago, private participation in India’s space sector truly opened up. Today we have more than 350 space startups. The Infinity Campus and Vikram-1 show what becomes possible when entrepreneurial ambition meets supportive policy. We are building not just rockets, but a globally competitive space economy.”
“This is a Proud Moment for Us and for India,” Skyroot Founders
Pawan Kumar Chandana, Co-founder and CEO, said, “There can be no stronger encouragement than the Prime Minister inaugurating India’s largest private rocket factory. This moment strengthens our mission to make world-class space access possible from India.”
Naga Bharath Daka, Co-founder and COO, added: “The NewSpace Policy has empowered startups like ours to build boldly. Infinity Campus expands our manufacturing scale and reinforces our vision of opening space for all — from India to infinity.”
Founded in 2018 by former ISRO scientists and IIT graduates, Skyroot aims to provide rapid, on-demand launch services, a “cab service to space”, for global small-satellite operators.
Vikram-1 Moves Closer to Liftoff
As part of its launch-readiness campaign, Skyroot recently completed a successful full-duration test of the rocket’s Orbital Adjustment Module (OAM), the final stage that performs precision orbital manoeuvres.
The OAM, powered by the Raman-2 liquid engine with support from Raman Mini thrusters and cold-gas systems, underwent:
- 400+ seconds of main engine firing
- Over 1,000 attitude-control thruster pulses
- The milestone brings Vikram-1 significantly closer to its maiden orbital flight in early 2026.