India Allows Local Satellite Companies To Use Foreign Orbital Resources, Here's How It Helps Private Satcom Service Providers

India's decision to allow local satellite companies to use foreign orbital resources for the first time is poised to enhance private sector involvement in the country's space and satellite sector as per a report by The Economic Times.

Experts and industry executives believe that this move will enable Indian players to leverage surplus international satellite capacities to offer satellite communication (satcom) services in India at competitive rates.

Foreign orbital resources refer to non-Indian orbital slots and associated frequencies for operating satellites in space. An orbital slot is essentially a parking space in space for a satellite to operate at a specific frequency and provide satcom services over a particular region.

According to the guidelines and procedures recently issued by the national space regulator, IN-SPACe, Indian satellite companies must apply to the Geneva-based International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to use non-Indian orbital resources to provide satcom services in India.

However, local companies need authorisation from IN-SPACe, to ensure that the use of such foreign orbital resources for beaming satellite internet services in India will not cause harmful interference with other satellite networks.

Previously, satellite players in India were prohibited from using non-Indian orbital resources and had to rely solely on Indian orbital resources, which were often limited and more expensive.

"The government's decision to allow the direct benefit of additional capacities from foreign satellites using non-Indian orbital resources, albeit with specific conditions, is set to introduce much-needed competition in the satcom sector. This is likely to result in better services at more affordable prices for end consumers," said T V Ramachandran, president of Broadband India Forum (BIF).

The forum represents global satellite giants such as Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb, Amazon, and Hughes Network Systems.

Under the new guidelines, IN-SPACe stated that an applicant can seek authorisation for the establishment/operation of satellites/constellations in geostationary satellite orbit (GSO) and/or low-earth orbit/medium earth orbit (LEO/MEO) using non-Indian orbital resources for communication services.

An applicant, in this context, is an Indian entity that has requested IN-SPACe authorisation to undertake a space activity as per the Indian Space Policy 2023.

Pranav Roach, president of Hughes Network Systems India Ltd, mentioned that permission to access foreign orbital resources with suitable IN-SPACe authorisations "would provide interested satcom players greater flexibility" to deliver satellite broadband services in India.

These developments come at a time when companies like Elon Musk's Starlink, Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb, Reliance Jio, Amazon Kuiper, UK-based Inmarsat, and the Tatas are looking to tap into India's emerging satcom market, which has high growth potential.