New Delhi: Telangana Chief Minister Anumula Revanth Reddy, along with Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu, on Saturday formally flagged off the flight hardware of Skyroot Aerospace’s Vikram-1 – India’s first privately developed orbital rocket.
The event marked a major milestone in the country’s private space sector and Telangana’s expanding aerospace ambitions.
The ceremony marked the official dispatch of the rocket hardware from Hyderabad to the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, where Skyroot Aerospace is preparing for India’s first private orbital launch attempt in the coming months, the CMO of Telangana said in a post on X.
During the event, Anumula said the occasion represents a significant step in Telangana’s journey to position itself as a global hub for aerospace and advanced technologies.
He highlighted that Vikram-1 has been fully designed and developed in Hyderabad, calling it a matter of pride for the state.
“Skyroot has developed India’s first privately built orbital rocket to carry satellites into space. The company launched its first rocket in 2022, and reaching the stage of orbital launch in such a short time is a remarkable achievement,” the chief minister said.
Skyroot Aerospace, one of India’s leading private space startups, is now moving closer to its first orbital mission with Vikram-1, which is designed to place small satellites into space.
Anumula noted that Telangana is currently ranked among the top states in India’s aerospace sector, with major global aerospace companies such as Boeing, Airbus, and Safran already operating in the state.
He also reiterated the government’s long-term vision of making Telangana a global leader in aerospace by 2047, identifying the sector as a key driver of future economic growth.
According to him, the state has also recorded strong performance in engineering exports. Citing Central Government data, he said Telangana registered the highest growth of 117.9% in engineering exports among Indian states between 2023-24 and 2024-25, with aircraft components and defence equipment contributing significantly to this rise.
The chief minister stressed that the government is prioritising skill development to support high-tech industries like aerospace.
He outlined initiatives being implemented through Young India Skills University, Advanced Technology Centres (ATCs), and upgraded polytechnic institutions. He also mentioned plans to bring ATCs and polytechnics under a unified structure to ensure industry-aligned curriculum and standardised training.
“Our focus is on providing the best training to trainers in these institutions. Tata Technologies is providing training to our trainers in ATCs across the state,” he said.
