On July 18, Skyroot Aerospace’s Vikram-1; the country’s first privately built orbital rocket; soared into the sky from Sriharikota. No ISRO badge. No government budget. Just homegrown ingenuity, carbon-fiber tech, and a 3D-printed engine. This isn’t just a launch; it’s a signal. Private companies are no longer supporting India’s space ambitions. They’re leading them. Carrying payloads like a gold rocket with micro-sculptures of Sarabhai and Kalam, plus Modi’s ‘Vande Mataram,’ Vikram-1 symbolizes a new era: public-private synergy in orbit. As global demand for small satellite launches booms, India’s private space startups are positioning themselves as serious global contenders. The sky? No longer the limit. The launchpad is just getting crowded.