New Delhi, Nov 27 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday inaugurated the Infinity Campus of Indian space startup Skyroot as well as unveiled its first orbital rocket, Vikram-I. Addressing the event via video conferencing, the Prime Minister stated that the country is witnessing an unprecedented opportunity in the space sector.

“Today, the private sector is taking a big leap in India’s space ecosystem. Skyroot’s Infinity Campus is a reflection of India’s new thinking, innovation, and youth power,” PM Modi said.

“With credibility, capacity, and value, Indian space talent has established a strong identity across the world,” he added.

The Prime Minister noted that the country’s space journey began “with extremely limited resources. But our aspirations were never limited.”

He noted that from a rocket part transported on a bicycle, today, India has earned its place as the creator of one of the world’s most reliable launch vehicles. The country “has proved that the altitude of our dreams is decided by resolve, not resources,” PM Modi said.

He emphasised that the country has a capability in the space sector that only a few countries in the world possess.

“We have expert engineers, a high-quality manufacturing ecosystem, world-class launch sites, and a mindset that encourages innovation,” PM Modi said.

He also credited the success to the historic reforms undertaken in India’s space sector in the last decade.

“The Government has opened the sector for private innovation, enabling startups and industry to work closely with our scientific ecosystem. Over the past six to seven years, India has transformed its space sector into an open, cooperative, and innovation-driven domain. This progress is clearly reflected in today’s programme,” PM Modi said.

“For global investors, India’s space sector is rapidly becoming an attractive destination. The demand for small satellites is rising steadily worldwide, and space is now recognised as a strategic asset. In the coming years, the global space economy is set to expand many times over. This presents a significant opportunity for India’s youth,” he added.

Meanwhile, Skyroot’s Infinity Campus is a state-of-the-art facility and will have around 200,000 square feet of workspace for designing, developing, integrating, and testing multiple launch vehicles, with the capacity to build one orbital rocket every month.

The Prime Minister also lauded Skyroot founders Pawan Chandana and Bharath Dhaka, both alumni of the Indian Institutes of Technology and former scientists of ISRO who turned entrepreneurs.

“The young space entrepreneurs are an inspiration for youth in the country,” the Prime Minister said to Chandana and Dhaka.

In November 2022, Skyroot launched its sub-orbital rocket, Vikram-S, becoming the first Indian private company to launch a rocket to space.

–IANS

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