PM Modi congratulates Skyroot Team after historic Vikram-1 launch, calls it a new chapter for India's space journey
PTC Web Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday spoke to Skyroot Aerospace founders Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka after the successful launch of Vikram-1, India's first privately developed orbital-class rocket. Congratulating the team, he described the achievement as a major milestone that would encourage innovation and strengthen the country's growing space sector.
During the phone conversation, the Prime Minister praised the founders for creating a new path for India's young innovators.
"You have not only achieved success in space, but also inspired a new generation on the ground," he told the founders while appreciating their efforts. PM Modi said he had been following the launch closely and wished he could have joined the team at the launch site to witness the historic moment.
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He also expressed happiness after seeing the young workforce behind the mission. "I wanted to be there with your team. I was watching the mission closely and congratulate everyone for this remarkable achievement. It made me especially happy to see that many members of your team are between 25 and 30 years of age," he said.
The Prime Minister recalled that when the government decided to open India's space sector to private companies, many people had questioned the move. He said the success of Vikram-1 has proved that decision was the right one and highlighted the growing capabilities of Indian private space firms.
Among the payloads on Vikram-1 Test Flight-1 is something truly special—a handwritten postcard from Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi with the words, “Vande Mataram.” ????????????
It travels to space alongside handwritten messages from our team, investors, policymakers, and… pic.twitter.com/sJajN6NiVJ — Skyroot Aerospace (@SkyrootA) July 17, 2026
One of the unique payloads on Vikram-1 was a handwritten postcard by PM Modi carrying the words "Vande Mataram." The rocket also transported handwritten messages from Skyroot employees, investors, scientists, policymakers and supporters from different parts of the world.
In addition, messages from current and former ISRO chairpersons and Indian astronauts were also included, recognising the decades of work that helped build India's space programme.
Skyroot Aerospace said the postcards were meant to honour everyone who contributed to India's journey as a global space nation. The company described Mission Aagaman as a celebration representing the collective efforts of thousands of people.
Spoke to the team of Skyroot Aerospace and congratulated them on the successful launch of Vikram-1.
This is a defining moment in India’s space journey. The growing participation of our private sector is opening new frontiers and accelerating innovation.
This achievement will… pic.twitter.com/epWjOY8yKa — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 18, 2026
After speaking with the founders, PM Modi also shared his thoughts on X. He called Vikram-1's launch a defining moment for India's space journey and said the increasing participation of private companies is helping the country move faster in innovation.
He added that such achievements would motivate young Indians to dream bigger and contribute to the nation's technological growth.
Skyroot Aerospace successfully launched Vikram-1 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, making history as the first Indian private company to launch an orbital-class rocket successfully.
The mission experienced a brief delay before liftoff due to an internal hold, but the launch later went ahead smoothly. All four stages of the rocket performed as expected, stage separations were completed successfully, and the payload was placed into orbit as planned.
Named Mission Aagaman, the launch marks a major step for India's commercial space industry. With this achievement, India joins a select group of countries where a private company has independently designed, built and launched an orbital-class rocket, opening new opportunities for the country's fast-growing private space ecosystem.
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- With inputs from agencies
