New Delhi: The Indian government is open to all players in the satellite communications market and is committed to ensuring a level playing field, government sources said, amid delays in regulatory approvals for companies seeking to launch satellite internet services in the country.
Several companies, including Elon Musk’s Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb, Jio Satellite Communications and Amazon, are awaiting various regulatory clearances to begin commercial operations in India. While Starlink, Jio and OneWeb have received licences—according to an ANI report— they are required to demonstrate their operational capabilities and fulfil prescribed security requirements before launching services.
According to the report, government sources said Starlink was the last among the three licensed operators to submit its compliance application and also took the longest to furnish the required documents. OneWeb was the first to submit the necessary compliance documents, followed by Jio and Starlink.
Officials have maintained that all companies must comply with the same regulatory framework and that no operator will receive preferential treatment. The delay in completing the compliance process has held up some of the approvals required before the companies can commercially offer satellite internet services in India.
Meanwhile, decisions on spectrum allocation and pricing are still awaited and could take a few more weeks. These are crucial steps before satellite internet services can be rolled out to consumers on a wider scale.
The government has also emphasised that the market will ultimately determine which operator succeeds, with consumers making their choices based on pricing, connectivity and service quality.
The developments come amid a controversy over Starlink’s entry into India. Musk had earlier criticised the country’s regulatory approval process, alleging that “certain oligarchs” were attempting to block the company’s entry to protect their dominance in the telecom sector.
He subsequently took to X to question whether Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani was “the real boss of India”, suggesting that powerful business interests were holding up Starlink’s commercial launch.
The Ministry of Communications rejected these allegations, maintaining that India’s regulatory framework was fair and non-discriminatory. It also clarified that licensed satellite operators, including Starlink, Jio Satcom and Eutelsat OneWeb, must obtain security clearances and fulfil other regulatory requirements before commencing commercial operations.
What Is Satcom And How Can It Benefit Consumers?
Satellite communications, commonly known as Satcom, refers to the transmission of voice, data and internet signals through satellites orbiting the Earth rather than relying entirely on conventional terrestrial infrastructure such as optical fibre cables and mobile towers.
Satellite internet services generally use satellites in different orbital positions, including low Earth orbit (LEO), to provide broadband connectivity to users through specialised ground terminals or satellite dishes.
LEO satellites operate much closer to the Earth than traditional geostationary satellites. This reduces the distance signals have to travel and can help deliver lower latency, making them more suitable for applications that require faster responses, including video calls, online gaming and real-time data transmission.
One of the biggest advantages of satellite internet is its ability to reach areas where conventional broadband infrastructure is difficult or expensive to establish.
Its key benefits include:
- Connectivity in remote areas: Satellite internet can connect villages, islands, mountainous regions and other geographically isolated locations where laying optical fibre cables or installing mobile towers is challenging.
- Disaster management: Satellite networks can help restore communication during floods, cyclones, earthquakes and other emergencies when terrestrial communication infrastructure is damaged.
- Improved internet access: Satcom can expand broadband availability in underserved regions, helping bridge the digital divide.
- Connectivity for businesses: Industries operating in remote locations, including mining, shipping, aviation and offshore energy, can benefit from reliable satellite connectivity.
- Strategic and defence applications: Satellite communication networks can support military operations, surveillance, navigation and secure communication systems.
For India, the expansion of the Satcom sector could complement existing telecom infrastructure and improve internet access in areas that remain underserved by conventional networks. However, affordability, spectrum allocation, security requirements and service quality will be critical in determining how widely these services are adopted.
Russia’s Starlink-Like Rassvet Network Being Used For Military Communications In Ukraine
While India is working towards opening its satellite communications market to private operators, Russia is already deploying its own Starlink-like satellite network, Rassvet, for military communications in the ongoing war against Ukraine.
According to a report by Reuters, Ukrainian military intelligence has said that Russia is using the newly launched Rassvet satellite network to improve communications for its military operations over Ukraine. The system is reportedly being used to make Russian strike drones more accurate and harder to jam.
Russia has launched 32 Rassvet satellites into orbit so far this year in two batches, in March and July, according to the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence (GUR). The Russian government also said last month that it had launched more than 30 satellites.
However, the network remains considerably smaller than SpaceX’s Starlink constellation, which has more than 10,000 satellites in orbit. Starlink’s military-focused service, Starshield, operates in Ukraine but not in Russia.
Access to SpaceX’s satellite communication infrastructure has provided significant support to Ukrainian forces during the war, particularly in maintaining communications in areas where conventional networks have been disrupted.
Moscow is planning further Rassvet launches by the end of 2026 to expand the network’s geographical coverage, Ukrainian military intelligence said in a written statement to Reuters.
The expansion is intended to gradually develop Rassvet into a full-fledged low Earth orbit satellite communications system, giving Russia an independent satellite-based connectivity network for military and other applications.
The parallel developments highlight the growing strategic importance of satellite communications, with countries increasingly viewing satellite internet not merely as an alternative to conventional broadband but also as critical infrastructure for national security, defence and technological independence.
