Skyroot orbital launch lifts Indian space supply chain
Skyroot Aerospace's successful Vikram-1 mission positions the startup for a potential doubling in valuation and spotlights the publicly traded suppliers underpinning India's emerging private space sector.
Skyroot Aerospace successfully launched its Vikram-1 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on July 18. The mission, named Aagaman, placed payloads into a 450-km low Earth orbit after a 16-minute flight, completing all four planned stages. With this feat, Skyroot joins a select group of private companies globally capable of orbital launches.
The technological milestone carries immediate financial implications. Prior to the launch, Skyroot was valued at $1.1 billion following its last funding round. Industry experts now project that the demonstrated orbital capability could push the company's valuation beyond $2 billion, signalling rising investor confidence in India's private space economy.
For public market investors, the Vikram-1 mission highlights a developing industrial supply chain. Several listed Indian companies provided critical components and infrastructure for the launch, offering a tangible proxy for the sector's growth.
Inox India, a major manufacturer of vacuum-insulated cryogenic equipment operating across more than 100 countries, supplies the ground systems required for satellite launches. The company already provides equipment for the Indian Space Research Organisation's second launchpad and builds systems for nuclear fusion research. TechEra Engineering revealed during a 2025 earnings call that it is supplying tooling to Skyroot. The firm intends to expand from tooling into part manufacturing and is seeking contracts with state-run defence and space agencies.
Solar Industries is also listed among the contributors to the mission. Diffusion Engineers, which produces specialty welding materials and wear-resistant plates for heavy industry, confirmed its involvement on social media. "Congratulations to Skyroot Aerospace on this historic milestone. Your relentless pursuit of innovation, engineering excellence, and bold ambition continues to inspire the next generation of Indian innovators," the company stated.
The launch marks a significant step for India's commercial space ambitions, following Skyroot's sub-orbital Vikram-S flight in 2022. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the event a defining moment for the country's private space sector. "I was closely tracking the launch," Modi said, adding: "It was truly heartening to see that most of your team members are just 25 to 30 years old."
