India's Maiden Private Rocket Launch | 04 Nov 2025

Source: Mint

India’s first-ever private commercial satellite launch will be conducted by Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace in January 2026.

• This launch will make Skyroot the only Indian entity besides Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to successfully launch a rocket carrying satellites into space.
  • Skyroot Aerospace became India’s first private company to launch a rocket with the Vikram-S suborbital mission in November 2022, marking a turning point in India’s space privatisation efforts.
• Skyroot’s mission follows the Government of India’s 2020 decision to open the space sector to private players.
  • The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), established in June 2020, serves as an independent nodal body under ISRO to promote, guide, and authorize private participation in India’s space sector.
  • India’s private space sector has 200+ startups and is projected to reach $44 billion by 2033.
• Skyroot’s positioning to meet global small satellite launch demand marks a significant step toward affordable access and a new phase in India’s commercial space sector.