Addis Ababa, July 18, 2026 (FMC) — India has successfully launched its first privately developed orbital rocket, marking a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to expand its presence in the global space industry.
The three-stage Vikram-1 rocket lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, successfully placing customer payloads into a 450-kilometre low-Earth orbit. The achievement makes India the third country to demonstrate orbital launch capability through a private-sector enterprise.
Developed by Indian aerospace startup Skyroot Aerospace, the 22-metre rocket is capable of carrying payloads of up to 350 kilograms. It is also equipped with robotic arms designed to support future space debris removal missions.
The mission carried several experimental payloads, including a laboratory-grown diamond and a miniature 18-carat gold sculpture commemorating India’s national space programme.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the successful launch, saying the achievement would inspire young people across the country to dream bigger and pursue innovation.
According to Skyroot Aerospace, the mission successfully validated the rocket’s propulsion, avionics, telemetry, guidance, navigation and control systems during flight.
Founded in 2018, Skyroot Aerospace has emerged as one of India’s leading private space companies following the liberalization of the country’s space sector. Earlier this year, it became India’s first space-sector startup to attain a valuation of $1 billion.
The launch builds on the company’s Vikram-S mission in 2022, which reached space on a suborbital flight but did not deploy payloads into orbit. Skyroot said it plans additional test missions before commencing regular commercial launch services.
The latest success adds to India’s growing achievements in space exploration. In 2017, the country’s national space programme set a then-world record by launching 104 satellites on a single rocket, while in 2023 India became the fourth nation to achieve a successful lunar landing after Chandrayaan-3 touched down near the Moon’s south pole.