- India welcomes satcom players; Jio, OneWeb, Starlink now licensed.
- Security compliance, spectrum allocation pending amid Musk’s allegations.
- Government confirms security clearance pending for all satcom firms.
The government has said India welcomes all players in the satellite communications sector, adding that consumers will ultimately decide which service provider they want to choose.
“Customer is the king,” an official said, stressing that consumers would select a provider based on pricing, value and the quality of services offered.
Three companies currently hold satellite communication licences in India: Jio, OneWeb and Starlink. Government sources said Starlink was the last of the three to apply for a licence and also the last to receive one. However, all three companies have now been licensed, and the application process has been “completely transparent”, they told ANI news agency.
Security Compliance And Spectrum Allocation Awaited
Sources said all three licensees have been asked to demonstrate their capabilities and meet the required security conditions.
OneWeb was the first to submit its compliance documents, followed by Jio, while Starlink was the last to do so, according to officials.
Two key steps remain before satellite communication services can be rolled out at scale: a decision on spectrum allocation and pricing, and the fulfilment of security requirements by all three companies.
Once both conditions are met, the entire satellite communications ecosystem stands to benefit, sources said.
Musk Had Accused Indian ‘Oligarchs’ Of Blocking Starlink
The government’s position comes amid a public spat between Elon Musk and Indian authorities in October.
On October 7, Musk alleged on X that Starlink was being blocked by certain business groups to protect their dominance in the Indian market.
“Unfortunately, we are being blocked by certain oligarchs in order to maintain their monopolistic chokehold on the Indian people,” he wrote.
The Ministry of Communications rejected the allegation the following day, asserting that India has a “fair, non-discriminatory authorisation framework” for all telecom services, including satellite communications.
The ministry said every licensee is required to demonstrate compliance with security conditions under the terms of its licence. It described suggestions that the regulatory framework or its implementation was unfair or discriminatory as “baseless and misconceived”.
Musk responded within hours, saying Starlink was licensed in more than 165 countries and had spent five years complying with Indian laws and government requirements. He also questioned whether Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani was influencing the process.
“Starlink is licensed in over 165 countries and has spent five years complying with every single law and requirement of the government of India, so why still no license? Is Ambani the real boss of India?” he posted.
Government Says Security Clearance Is Pending
Minister of State for Communications Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani had said the matter was pending with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for security clearance and was not specific to any one company.
“The Department of Telecom has issued licences to all satcom companies as well as provisional spectrum. Now the issue is pending with MHA for security clearance. As soon as it is cleared, they will get it. It has nothing to do with one company,” Pemmasani told reporters on the sidelines of the India Mobile Congress.
Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal, whose group backs OneWeb, had also said his venture was awaiting clearance. Jio Platforms Managing Director Akash Ambani declined to comment on Musk’s remarks, saying he had not seen them.
Starlink Says It Is Ready For India Launch
Starlink has maintained that it is ready to launch its services in India.
Speaking at the India Mobile Congress on October 7, Lauren Dreyer, SpaceX’s vice-president for Starlink business operations, said the company had built its operations specifically for India, keeping the country’s security requirements and regulations in mind.
“We’ve built our Starlink operations specifically for India in recognition of Indian security requirements and other regulations, establishing controls at every layer for India, and keeping Indian user data within India,” she said.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: abplive.com
