The Indian government is expediting the setup of a Rs 9.3 billion satellite communication (satcom) monitoring facility to track both domestic and foreign satellites operating within Indian airspace. The proposal has received approval by the Digital Communications Commission (DCC), the top decision-making authority under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
The facility is aimed at reducing interference, strengthening coordination between satellite systems, and ensuring secure and efficient satellite-based communications, especially as the global low-earth orbit (LEO) satcom market expands rapidly.
India is simultaneously reserving orbital slots and spectrum resources to support future Indian satellites, particularly in the non-geostationary satellite orbit (NGSO) segment. The move is designed to give Indian companies a competitive edge as they enter the growing satellite market. Further, the government is also creating a policy environment conducive to setting up satellite gateways within India, which will cater to both domestic and global operations.
The forthcoming national telecom policy, expected by 2030, will provide a five-year roadmap aimed at simplifying regulations and encouraging the development of ground infrastructure for satellite services. This would help position India as a global hub for ground station as a service (GSaaS). Although India currently has no operators in the LEO satellite segment, the government anticipates this will change and is laying the groundwork to ensure Indian entities are not at a disadvantage when they do enter the market.
