Skyroot Aerospace made history in July 2025 by becoming the first Indian private company to place multiple payloads into low Earth orbit using a domestically developed launcher — a milestone that Europe's private space sector has yet to achieve, according to a report by The European Conservative. The feat marks a turning point for India's private space industry, which has grown rapidly since the government opened the sector to commercial players in 2020.

The Vikram-1 Achievement

Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-1 rocket successfully carried multiple payloads to orbit, making it the first orbital launch by an Indian private entity using indigenous hardware. The report noted that 'the achievement is significant despite the vehicle's relatively modest size compared with launch systems operated by competitors in China, Russia, or the United States.' The milestone signals that the commercial space race now has a credible new entrant beyond the traditional powers.

Why Europe Should Take Note

The report argued that India can offer 'competition, additional capacity and a new reference point for the European space industry.' It recommended that European operators consider collaborating with India for certain commercial, university, or scientific payloads — a move that could help diversify a global launch market currently dominated by the United States and China. Notably, despite increased launches in 2025 following the introduction of Ariane 6 and Vega-C, Europe still commands only a small fraction of the global market.

Europe's Capacity Crunch Concern

The European Space Agency (ESA) faces a potential capacity crunch for strategic programmes such as Galileo and Copernicus between 2029 and 2031, as new requirements could exceed available launch capacity. Several state-backed private launcher projects in Europe have yet to deliver an operational orbital service, leaving the continent strategically exposed at a critical juncture.

India's Space Reform Journey

India's space programme was dominated by the state for over half a century. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) took the country from its first experiments in the 1960s to developing indigenous launch vehicles, reaching Mars in 2014 and landing near the Moon's south pole with Chandrayaan-3 in 2023. In 2020, the government opened the sector to private companies and established IN-SPACe to facilitate access to public facilities, testing infrastructure, and launch sites. The 2023 space policy completed the reform by separating ISRO's research role, public commercial activity, and the emerging private ecosystem.

India's $44 Billion Space Economy Target

That long-term strategy is now bearing fruit. India hosts over 400 space startups and is targeting growth of its space economy from approximately $8.4 billion in 2022 to $44 billion by 2033, including $11 billion in exports, according to the report. As the United States and China no longer remain the only contenders in the commercial space race, India's trajectory positions it as an increasingly consequential player in the global launch market.