Spotlight on SatCom Innovations | TelecomDrive.com
India’s digital evolution is reaching an inflection point—a point where universal, quality connectivity is no longer a luxury but an essential requirement. For much of rural and remote India, assured access still remains a dream.
As we look ahead for measures to bridge this chronic digital divide, satellite communication (Satcom) stands to play a critical role in scripting India’s future communication destiny. Satcom will in case of India play a crucial role in providing ubiquitous, inclusive digital connectivity to all parts of the country. It is not a question of one technology over another anymore—it is about integrating terrestrial, satellite, and wireless systems to reach the most difficult geographies and the remotest part of India.
The Expanding Satcom Ecosystem
We see interesting and exciting changes in the Indian SatCom horizon. Operators such as Eutelsat OneWeb, SES-Jio Satellite Communications, and Space X’s Starlink are entering the Indian market with the assurance of low-latency, high-speed satellite broadband. Other players, both international and domestic, will also follow soon, indicating strong faith in India’s potential and demand in the digital ecosystem.
From a consumer’s point of view, the future is seamless connectivity—anywhere, anytime—whether it’s the mountains of Ladakh, Andaman Islands, or Jharkhand’s rural heartlands. Satellite connectivity is the most viable and optimum solution to connect most of these locations.
The decadal vision released by IN-SPACe on October 10, 2023 predicts, SatCom is to contribute the largest chunk to India’s space economy (Targeted to be of $14.8 Billion by 2033 with a CAGR of 1%). That vision captures not only technological advancement, but also a national ambition to make digital ecosystem accessible to all equitably.
Policy Progress, But Critical Gaps Remain
India has taken major strides to ensure the opening up of the Satcom sector. The Indian Space Policy 2023 promotes private entry, and GMPCS licenses have been issued to major Satcom companies such as Eutelsat, OneWeb, SES Jio, and Starlink. However, delays in spectrum allocation have inhibited commercial launch. In spite of approval of licenses, no operator has so far been able to roll out satellite broadband services because of continued uncertainty regarding allocation of spectrum—most specifically in the critical Ka and Ku bands.
This unplanned slowdown has practical implications. For Eutelsat OneWeb, which has its satellite constellation in space since almost two-fifths of the service life of their LEO satellite constellation has already elapsed without any earnings from monetizing services in India. If these kinds of regulatory slowdowns persist, India may lag in what would otherwise be a leadership role in the international LEO SatCom space.
Balancing Promise and Practicality
While SatCom offers unrivaled reach and flexibility, we do need to recognize some of its challenges. First is the cost per user, which is currently much higher than alternative terrestrial options. In order to make satellite broadband competitive, we need to allow administrative allocation of spectrum at minimum AGR and encourage government support in form of subsidies or USOF-funded infrastructure, which will bring costs down to end users, especially to low-income and rural communities.
Yet another domain where expectations need to be managed is Direct-to-Device (D2D) communication. Though it promises linking smartphones directly with satellites and not through ground terminals—this will take a better half of a decade or so to fully mature. Smartphones today do not have the requisite hardware and standardization efforts around the same which are ongoing globally will take some time.
Despite the higher cost and non-availability of D2D option the significance of SatCom does not reduce. Backhaul via satellites can improve existing mobile networks, and dedicated user terminals can provide coverage to schools, health centres, and panchayat offices where there is limited choice.
The Way Forward: Urgency and Collaboration
To tap the complete potential of SatCom, India needs to move with speed. Efficient allocation of spectrum, ease of licensing, opening up satellite gateways, and mechanisms for ensuring affordability are all vital. The consultation on administrative allocation of spectrum and recommendations on the method of costing of spectrum have been forwarded to DoT by TRAI after detailed stakeholder consultations. The final orders on this need to be speeded up to make satellite-based broadband a reality.
In future, satellite connectivity has to be viewed as one component of an overall, layered communications infrastructure and not aa a discrete alternative. A hybrid architecture—where fiber, towers, satellites, and D2D supplement one another—will provide India with the resilience and scalability required for the decades ahead of digital growth.
We are confident confidence that India possesses the talent, vision, and market to become a global hub for SatCom. But to take the lead, we need to act—not just wait. Satellite networks over the next few years will assist us in taking education, healthcare, e-governance, and digital commerce to every village and every citizen. This is not just a technological imperative, it is a social and economic necessity. With the right industry involvement and policy push, India can really reach for the stars—by beginning here on Earth.
Picture Courtesy: Pixabay.com
This article is published in the July 2025 issue of Disruptive Telecoms
