Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia told reporters on Wednesday that the central government is eager to launch satellite communication (satcom) services in India. It noted that several key factors will need to be determined first.
“The government is eager to launch satellite service in India, but the same depends on two factors – the responsibility of the government to determine the price of spectrum and allocation of airwaves and the obligation of companies to comply with safety regulations,” he told reporters.
On the timeline, he said that when both of those things are done, “you can start executing on the satellite service.”
He added: “We are doing our best to get this allocated spectrum award as soon as possible and it will be my endeavor to ensure that this happens before either company meets all their requirements from their end.
“No change to SIM binding rules. safety comes first”
ANI further reported that when asked about any change in the government’s stance on the mandatory SIM rules, the minister stressed that national security took precedence over possible revenue gains.
Notably, in December, the government ordered online messaging apps such as Signal, Telegram and WhatsApp to require an active link with a SIM card to use the device, ordering the order to plug security loopholes used in large-scale digital fraud, PTI reported.
ANI said it told reporters off-camera that it was “not thinking about relaxing the mandatory logout of web sessions after six hours” and that the rules remain “as they are.” He also clarified that the opt-out requirements apply only to virtual connections, not direct connections on phones.
“Security issues take precedence on grounds of national interest when potential revenue impacts are considered,” Scindia added.
Spectrum auction: TRAI publishes floor price list, band schedule
Scindia also confirmed that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has submitted its recommendations to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and this is under consideration.
He added that these “recommendations will be evaluated and a concrete timeline will be released later,” ANI reported.
Trai on February 24 released the list of reserve prices, band schedules and other key details for the International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) spectrum auction, according to an official release.
“India Poised to Lead the World in Satcom”
In October last year, Scindia projected that India’s satcom market, valued at $4.3 billion in 2024, is expected to triple to $14.8 billion by 2033, underscoring the sector’s economic and strategic potential.
Addressing the India Mobile Congress 2025, the minister said that with bold policy reforms and commitment to innovation, India is poised to become a world leader in satellite communications. He also called for a “coordinated, milestone-driven satcom program bringing together government, industry, startups, academia and international partners.”
He also announced a ₹900 million national SATCOM monitoring equipment to protect spectrum assets and strengthen India’s satellite gateways.
