India has evolved from being a follower in space innovation to a global leader, Minister of Communications and Development of the Northeastern Region Jyotiraditya Scindia said while inaugurating the Satellite Communication (satcom) Summit on ‘Space Networks for Universal Connectivity’ at the India Mobile Congress 2025 in New Delhi on Wednesday. “India must not just be a beneficiary of satellite services, it must also become a hub, an exporter and a trusted global partner,” he added.
Highlighting the policy reforms undertaken to boost the sector, Scindia said India has introduced administrative allocation of satellite spectrum, which is in line with international best practices. He noted that GMPCS licences have been granted to OneWeb and Jio Satellite, while Starlink has received a letter of intent.
In March, the country’s largest telecom players Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio joined hands with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to bring Starlink’s broadband internet services to India. Both had earlier opposed Starlink’s demand to administratively allocate satellite spectrum.
“Satcom means a doctor in every home and a teacher in the remotest classroom. It is a national necessity, the backbone of resilient infrastructure. With a first-of-its-kind NISAR mission, we showcased how we are not merely participating… we are also innovating. India has become the world’s pace setter,” said Scindia.
Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for science and technology, said India is increasingly collaborating with foreign space agencies for experiments to innovate. “Domestically, public-private partnerships are transforming the space sector as they are extremely effective and efficient. Spacetech-driven technology has a huge bearing on defence and atomic energy,” he added.
Talking about India’s strides in space, Isro Chairman V Narayanan said: “India has come a long way since its first space mission. We are now placing more than 100 satellites in a single launch. We are ensuring connectivity to the last mile citizen and enabling industrial efficiency.”
To make India a developed nation by 2047, we need to work on developing an extensive network for satellites, explained Narayanan, who is also secretary, Department of Space.
Lt Gen AK Bhatt (retd), director general, Indian Space Association, said India’s satellite spectrum landscape presents significant opportunities but requires strategic intervention. “The current demand projections are realistic, yet spectrum allocation delays are hindering industry progress. A balanced regulatory approach is crucial—one that supports both public and private players, drives innovation and protects national interests. By creating a flexible framework that reduces entry barriers and accelerates allocation processes, we can unlock the full potential of India’s space technology ecosystem.”
Starlink director Parnil Urdhwareshe talked about the Musk-led firm’s goal in India. “India is truly a unique market, home to world-class technologists, innovative use cases and a government that has played a pivotal role in making technology ubiquitous. As we expand our presence, particularly in rural regions, our goal is to complement existing services and meet India’s growing demand for world-class internet experiences,” he said.
First Published: Oct 09, 2025, 10:28
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