India’s Space Ambition Rises Higher: PM Modi Launches Vikram-I, Praises Gen-Z

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised India’s Gen-Z generation, saying that young Indians are giving the country’s space sector new speed and direction. He said that whenever the nation offers an opportunity to grow, the youth step forward and put national interest first. PM Modi was addressing the inauguration ceremony of Skyroot Aerospace’s new Infinity Campus in Hyderabad.

“More Than 300 Space Startups Are Shaping India’s Future” – PM Modi

PM Modi said that over 300 space startups are now active in India, driving the country’s private space revolution. He noted that many of these startups began with small teams and limited resources, but they always had the determination to reach new heights. This mindset, he said, has triggered a major private-space wave in the country.

He added that young engineers, designers, coders and scientists are building advanced technologies such as propulsion systems, composite materials, rocket stages, and satellite platforms — innovations that were once considered impossible for Indian startups. The rapid growth of India’s space sector, he said, is directly connected to the overall startup boom in the country.

Over the last decade, young innovators—especially Gen-Z—have been creating new solutions in fintech, agritech, healthtech, climate tech, ed-tech and defense-tech. According to PM Modi, India’s Gen-Z, with its creativity and positive mindset, has the potential to inspire youth across the world.

He also said that India is now the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem, with more than 1.5 lakh registered startups. These new companies are emerging not only from big cities but also from small towns and villages. PM Modi virtually inaugurated Skyroot’s new Infinity Campus and also launched the company’s first orbital rocket, Vikram-I. The modern campus, built across nearly 200,000 sq ft, has the capability to manufacture one orbital rocket every month.

Skyroot is one of India’s leading private space companies, founded by Pawan Chandana and Bharat Dhaka—both IIT graduates and former ISRO engineers. In 2022, Skyroot became the first private Indian company to launch a rocket when it successfully sent Vikram-S into space.