New Delhi, Aug. 15 -- As India celebrates its 80th Independence Day, the nation marks a defining turning point in its journey towards the stars. From transporting rocket components on bicycles through the coastal village of Thumba to becoming the first country to soft-land near the Moon's unexplored South Pole, India's space programme has evolved into a globally competitive, multi-billion-dollar ecosystem driven by cutting-edge science and private enterprise.

The dawn of this new era was underscored on July 18, 2026, when Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram 1 Test Flight 1 successfully reached Low Earth Orbit at approximately 450 kilometres and deployed its payloads.

Developed by a team of young Indian engineers with an average age of 28, the ma...