Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday inaugurated the Infinity Campus of Skyroot Aerospace in Hyderabad through video conferencing and unveiled the startup’s Vikram-I orbital rocket. Calling it a historic moment for India’s growing private space sector, he said the new campus represents the nation’s expanding innovation culture and rising youth-driven entrepreneurship.
The Prime Minister praised Skyroot founders Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka, noting that their risk-taking spirit has inspired a new generation of young space entrepreneurs. Modi reflected on India’s humble space beginnings, recalling how rocket parts were once transported on bicycles, and credited ISRO for building global trust and capability over decades.
Modi highlighted the government’s sweeping reforms that opened the space sector to private players, including the creation of IN-SPACe, access to ISRO facilities, and the implementation of a new national space policy. These reforms, he said, have transformed India into an innovation-driven space ecosystem with more than 300 space startups, many of which began with minimal resources but ambitious ideas.
Emphasizing the worldwide demand for small satellites and increasing launch frequency, Modi said India’s cost-effective and reliable space capabilities position it strongly in the expanding global space economy. He urged young innovators to take maximum advantage of this unprecedented opportunity.
