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Tag: Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre

  • Elon Musk’s Starlink clears final regulatory hurdle in India

    Elon Musk’s Starlink clears final regulatory hurdle in India

    MUMBAI: Elon Musk’s satellite internet venture Starlink has finally received the green light from India’s space regulator, In-Space, clearing the last major regulatory roadblock to launch commercial operations in the country.

    On 8 July, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (In-Space) Igranted Starlink permission to operate its Gen1 non-Indian GSO and NGSO satellite constellation for broadband services over Indian territory. The authorisation is valid until July 7, 2030.

    The nod includes specific frequency band allocations. For gateway beams, Starlink can use uplink bands of 27.5–29.1 GHz and 29.5–30 GHz, and downlink bands of 17.8–18.6 GHz and 18.8–19.3 GHz. For user terminals, the uplink band is 14.0–14.5 GHz (LHCP), while the downlink is 10.7–12.7 GHz (RHCP).

    The approval follows Starlink’s receipt of a Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) licence from the department of telecommunications (DoT), positioning it as the third player—after Eutelsat-OneWeb and Reliance Jio—to secure full clearance to provide satellite broadband in India.

    Next on the to-do list: acquiring administrative spectrum from the government, setting up ground stations, and passing security compliance trials. Starlink plans to establish three gateway stations across the country as part of its rollout.

    Sources say the DoT will soon allocate trial spectrum to facilitate security demonstrations. Final spectrum pricing and allocation guidelines are also expected shortly, following recent recommendations from TRAI.

    Starlink has already inked deals with Indian VSAT providers, signalling a B2B and B2G push ahead of a consumer rollout. Insiders hint that Starlink could soon begin offering direct-to-consumer connections via its website, though pricing is still under wraps. A promotional plan pegged at Rs 840 per month is reportedly on the table, but not officially confirmed.

    The road to India hasn’t been easy. Starlink has waited since 2022 for regulatory approvals, facing national security concerns and policy disputes with Jio over spectrum allocation. Eventually, the government backed Musk’s view that satellite spectrum should be assigned, not auctioned.

    Meanwhile, Amazon’s rival satcom venture, Project Kuiper, remains stuck in regulatory limbo. Despite completing operational and security checks, its application is still under review. Kuiper is proposing a more ambitious infrastructure plan, including 10 gateways and PoPs in Mumbai and Chennai—well ahead of Starlink’s three.

    India, the world’s second-largest internet market, is shaping up as a critical battleground for satellite broadband. With Musk’s firm now officially in the race, the stage is set for a high-stakes space-age showdown.

  • Intelsat shoots for the stars – and lands squarely in India’s broadcast orbit

    Intelsat shoots for the stars – and lands squarely in India’s broadcast orbit

    MUMBAI:  Global satellite heavyweight Intelsat has scored a milestone regulatory victory in India — one that opens up the floodgates for cross-border broadcast services, new business, and deeper foreign participation in the subcontinent’s satellite economy.

    In a landmark decision, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (In-Space) has granted Intelsat permission to directly provide satellite bandwidth to Indian media and broadcast companies. The approval covers four of Intelsat’s geostationary satellites — IS-17, IS-20, IS-36 and IS-39 — all offering high-powered C-band coverage over India.

    This isn’t just regulatory housekeeping — it’s India’s formal nod to a new satellite playbook, and Intelsat is among the first foreign players to officially get a seat at the table.

    The green light gives Indian broadcasters access to Intelsat’s fleet for everything from live news uplinks and sports distribution to linear TV delivery and multi-region content sharing. It paves the way for enhanced scalability, quality, and coverage — especially important as India’s video consumption skyrockets across satellite, cable, and OTT.

    The newly authorised satellites support high-capacity, high-reliability services, giving Indian broadcasters a powerful backup or replacement for ageing domestic satellite capacity. Intelsat’s C-band services are known for their robustness — particularly valuable in monsoon-prone regions where signal integrity can be patchy.
    The approval has already translated into new revenue: three of India’s largest media networks — rumoured to include a mix of news, regional, and GEC (general entertainment channel) players — have signed contracts with Intelsat following the IIn-space go-ahead. The deals cover a mix of primary satellite carriage, content redistribution, and international footprint expansion.

    While the names remain under wraps (JioStar is rumoured to have taken up six C-band transponders), industry watchers say this move could trigger a domino effect, with other players lining up for capacity.

    This move also signals India’s growing openness to foreign satellite operators. Previously, non-Indian entities faced a labyrinth of regulatory hurdles — needing to lease capacity through Indian agencies or enter into convoluted sub-licensing arrangements. With In-Space actively streamlining permissions under India’s commercial space policy, the gates are now open for direct engagement, competitive pricing, and tech transfer.

    “This approval represents a significant step forward in Intelsat’s contribution to India’s space commerce sector, a source of great national pride,” said Intelsat regional vice-president for Asia Pacific Gaurav Kharod. “Our extensive satellite network with four satellites covering the region will provide Indian broadcasters with reliable, high-quality connectivity solutions that meet their evolving needs. This authorisation enables us to better serve our customers and contribute to India’s growing media landscape.”

    India is now one of the fastest-growing video markets in the world, with over 900 TV channels, tens of thousands of cable and DTH operators, and an exploding OTT sector. Satellite remains a crucial backbone for content distribution, particularly in rural and remote geographies where fibre is limited and terrestrial networks are patchy.

    For Intelsat — a company with a six-decade legacy and one of the largest integrated satellite-terrestrial networks globally — this opens up a vast new revenue corridor in south Asia. It also gives them pole position as Indian broadcasters look to upgrade infrastructure, meet rising bandwidth demands, and adopt cloud-connected satellite workflows.

    The firm has long provided secure communications to governments, enterprises, and NGOs. But with this regulatory leap, India’s broadcast sector becomes its newest playground.

    As India unlocks its space economy and media sector evolves beyond borders, Intelsat’s entry may just be the first of many new uplinks between Indian content and global audiences.

  • MIB mandates IN-SPACe authorisation for use of foreign satellite capacity in broadcasting services

    MIB mandates IN-SPACe authorisation for use of foreign satellite capacity in broadcasting services

    Mumbai: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has issued a directive to satellite TV channels and teleport operators to obtain authorization from the government-backed Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) for using foreign satellite capacity for broadcasting services.

    In an advisory dated 10 July, the MIB stated that existing arrangements for using capacity in C, Ku, or Ka frequency bands from foreign satellite operators can be extended until 31 March 2025.

    “Starting from April 1, 2025, only IN-SPACe authorized non-Indian Geostationary Orbit (GSO) satellites and/or Non-Geostationary Satellite Orbit (NGSO) satellite constellations will be permitted to provide their capacity for space-based communication and broadcast services in India,” the advisory states.

    The ministry mentioned further that applications for authorisation must be submitted through the IN-SPACe website by an Indian entity, which could be an Indian subsidiary, a joint venture/collaboration, or an authorized dealer/representative of the foreign satellite operator in India.

    NewSpace India has leased transponder capacity in C, Ku, and extended C bands from both Indian and foreign satellites.

    As of March 2023, the Department of Space reported that 18 communication satellites were operating over India, equipped with communication transponders in C-band, Extended C-band, Ku-band, Ka/Ku band, and S-band.

    About 70 transponders in Ku-band and High Throughput Satellite (HTS) capacity of 1.6 GHz were leased from international satellite operators, while an additional 40 transponders in C-band were directly leased by broadcasters for TV uplinking.