India, July 18 -- India's first privately developed orbital-class rocket, Vikram-1, lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on Saturday. It is a major milestone for the country's private space sector and its commercial launch ambitions.

Developed by Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace, the mission, dubbed Mission Aagaman, is the first attempt by an Indian private company to place satellites into Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

The launch witnessed a brief delay after the mission control team placed the countdown on a planned hold just minutes before the scheduled liftoff at 11.30 am. The launch later proceeded successfully at 12:05 pm.

The liftoff has already secured its place in the history of India's space programme. It is...