Recently, India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) issued new amendments to satellite internet service rules, tightening national security and compliance norms.
About Satellite Internet Service
- Definition: Satellite internet uses low Earth orbit (LEO) or geostationary satellites to provide broadband connectivity, especially in remote or underserved areas.
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- Geostationary satellites are satellites that orbit the Earth at an altitude of about 35,786 km above the equator, appearing stationary relative to a fixed point on Earth.
- They are commonly used for telecommunications, weather forecasting, and broadcasting, as they provide continuous coverage over a specific geographic area.
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- Key Providers: Major players eyeing Indian operations include SpaceX’s Starlink, Amazon’s Project Kuiper, Eutelsat OneWeb, and Reliance Jio.
- Regulatory Framework: These services require a Global Mobile Personal Communications by Satellite (GMPCS) license and fall under India’s Unified License (UL) regime.
Changes in Satellite Internet Service Rules
- Licensing: The new regulations are part of the Unified License, ensuring all satellite firms (current and future) comply uniformly.
- Starlink’s operations remain stalled as it awaits GMPCS clearance and satellite spectrum allocation.
- Geo-Fencing of Terminals: Indian satellite terminals are prohibited from working abroad.
- Foreign-purchased terminals must be disabled within Indian territory, preventing unauthorized cross-border use.
- Mandatory Local Manufacturing: Firms must submit a 5-year phased manufacturing plan, ensuring at least 20% indigenisation of the ground segment.
- Data Localisation and Infrastructure Requirements
- All user data must be stored in India.
- No routing or mirroring of Indian traffic through foreign gateways or servers is permitted.
- Data centers, DNS systems, and lawful interception tools must be physically located in India.
- NavIC Integration: Firms must integrate India’s NavIC navigation system into user terminals on a best-effort basis, with full compliance expected by 2029.
- Operators must enable:
- Website blocking mechanisms for government-flagged content
- Real-time user terminal tracking including fixed and mobile locations
- Metadata sharing with law enforcement on demand
- Firms must restrict services during emergencies, hostilities, or in sensitive zones like borders and EEZs.
Significance of the New Regulations
- Strengthening National Security: These guidelines reflect concerns post incidents like the Pahalgam attack, aiming to prevent misuse of satcom in sensitive areas.
- Ensuring Digital Sovereignty: By mandating local data routing and disabling terminals abroad, India is asserting control over digital infrastructure and user data.
- Promoting Indigenous Technology: Mandatory integration of NavIC and local terminal manufacturing boosts Make in India and technological self-reliance.
- Addressing Operational Challenges: Geo-fencing rules pose hurdles for international roaming terminals used in aviation and maritime sectors.
- Starlink’s global roaming plans become unviable for Indian users traveling abroad.
- Creating Regulatory Certainty: Harmonising telecom and satellite rules under the Unified Licence ensures legal consistency for companies and regulators alike.
These new satellite communication rules aim to balance innovation and connectivity with India’s strategic and security priorities in an evolving digital landscape.
8 May 2025
