India’s first privately developed orbital rocket ‘Vikram-1’ set for July 18 launch

Bengaluru: Skyroot Aerospace on Thursday announced that Vikram-1, India’s first privately developed orbital-class rocket, will lift off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on July 18, 2026 at 11:30 a.m.

The launch will take place from the spaceport’s first launch pad. Vikram-1 has been developed by Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace, marking a key milestone for India’s private space sector. The company said the launch attempt represents the first orbital mission by a private Indian firm.

The rocket was moved to the launch pad ahead of the scheduled liftoff, as seen in images released by the company.

The mission is being closely watched as it could pave the way for more commercial launches from India.