An Indian-made rocket has lifted off from a site north of Chennai, carrying two satellites that will test space docking.
Docking is essential to support human journeys to the Moon or the space station.
Declaring the launch a “resounding success”, Indian Space Research Organization chief Sridhara Somanath said the rocket had “put the satellites into the correct orbit”.
India hopes to become the fourth country to have such technology after Russia, the US and China.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has earlier announced plans to send a man to the moon by 2040.