India’s startup ecosystem is maturing and entering a new era of deep technology, said Satyan Gajwani, chairman of Times Internet, in his address at the ET Startup Awards 2026, citing the launch of launch vehicle Vikram-1 as a milestone in the country’s technological ambitions.
On July 18, the rocket, built by Hyderabad-based startup, Skyroot Aerospace, lifted off from Sriharikota and placed customer satellites in orbit 450 kilometres above earth. “With that launch, India became only the third nation after the US and China with a private company able to reach space,” Gajwani said. ETSA 2026 jury member Mukesh Bansal was Skyroot's first investor.
