Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday inaugurated the Infinity Campus of Indian space startup Skyroot in Hyderabad through video conferencing. During the event, he also unveiled Skyroot’s first orbital rocket, Vikram-I, capable of placing satellites into orbit. The new campus, which spans nearly 200,000 square feet, is designed for end-to-end work on launch vehicles, including design, development, integration, and testing, and has the capacity to manufacture one orbital rocket each month.

Skyroot, founded by IIT graduates and former ISRO scientists Pawan Chandana and Bharath Dhaka, is considered one of India’s leading private space companies. In November 2022, the company made history by launching Vikram-S, a sub-orbital rocket, becoming the first private Indian firm to send a rocket to space. Officials regard the Infinity Campus as a significant step toward India emerging as a major global space power.

On the previous day, PM Modi virtually inaugurated the Safran Aircraft Engine Services India (SAESI) facility in Hyderabad, a specialised maintenance, repair, and overhaul hub for LEAP engines that power Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. As one of the largest engine MRO facilities globally, it is the first such operation by a major engine manufacturer in India. Addressing the event, Modi highlighted India’s ambitions in high-tech sectors, noting that the facility, located at the GMR Aerospace and Industrial Park, would strengthen India’s position as a global centre for aircraft maintenance and create opportunities for young professionals in advanced aviation and space technologies.

He also remarked on the rapid growth of India’s aviation industry, observing that it has expanded at an unprecedented pace over the past few years. Today, India ranks among the fastest-growing domestic aviation markets in the world, with its domestic sector now the third-largest globally, reflecting the soaring aspirations of the Indian people.