India can open the door for SATCOM firms to serve foreign markets

Copyright © HT Digital Streams Limit all rights reserved. Jatin Grover 4 min Read 08 Sept 2025, 23:19 PM The businesses, including Kuiper, Owneb and others, urged the government to serve other places, as well as from the gateway in the country. Summary The move is part of the draft rules under the new telecommunications authorization regime, satellite operators, Internet service providers and others released by the DOT on Monday for feedback from stakeholders. The comments can be sent within 30 days after which final rules will be notified. In a possible relief for satellite internet service providers such as Starlink, Owneb, Jio Satellite and Amazon’s Kuiper, the center suggested that they be able to use their satellite earth station -gate ways in India to serve users in other countries. The government also wants the businesses to set satellite internet services within a year after the spectrum is allocated. It is part of the draft rules under the new telecommunications authorization regime, satellite operators, Internet service providers and others released on Monday by the Department of Telecommunications (DOT) for feedback from stakeholders. The comments can be sent within 30 days after which final rules will be notified. The development presupposes the meaning of the Indian ports of these businesses serving other geographical areas, it will help reduce capital expenditure. It will also allow these businesses to serve smaller neighboring countries, where it may not be cost-effective to establish land infrastructure in every place. The businesses, including Kuiper, One -Web and others, urged the government to serve other places of the Poortjies in the country as well. Read more: Can Amazon’s satellite service catch up with Musk’s Starlink in India? According to the draft rules, the businesses can make arrangements with entities that provide telecommunications services, in areas outside India, after obtaining all approvals to provide such services in the jurisdiction in question where the user is located. However, the ministry of other geographical areas from India for these satellite internet enterprises would be subject to obtaining the necessary approvals in the various foreign jurisdictions and the notes issued by the government met, the dot in the draft rules said. Once completed, the rules would shift the licensing of the telecommunications sector to a new authorization regime as specified under the Telecom Act. However, the draft rules offer no specific timeline for businesses to switch to the new authorization regime. “The regime is simpler and will reduce the compliance burden,” an official said on condition of anonymity, adding that the companies will get an option to choose between the current and the new authorization regime. Concerns about new authorization regime in the new authorization framework will receive business approval to provide services, with specific terms and conditions to be issued separately under the Telecom Act. This approach differs from the existing system, where telecommunications operators signed a contract with DOT that includes all rules and regulations. Telecom operators expressed concern that the deletion of their licenses would create regulatory uncertainty and affect the confidence of the investors. The businesses wanted the government to maintain continuity in the agreement between them and the government to converting the licensing regime to authorization. The concern relates to the fact that Telcos in the current licensing regime has a contractual agreement with the government that is binding, and the same can be disputed by them in the court if the government changes something. However, in the new regime, the telcos said they would lose that power, as the government will have the power to change conditions and conditions without their consultation. According to the new draft rules, the new authorization regime will not annull or replace existing licenses, registrations or consents issued under the older Indian Telegraph Act. This indicates a mechanism for the continued validity of older licenses, such as the Unified License. Among the most important things, the new rules emphasize the national security and data sovereignty, which requires domestic telecommunications traffic to not be led outside India. Read more: Mint Explanator | What makes underwater cables essential for your Internet operators should also ensure that all data and information associated with their telecommunications networks are stored within India, the rules say. Safety provisions include mandates for legal intercept and monitoring facilities, and strict conditions on remote access to the network from outside India. Spectrum on the way to be sure, the government is currently finalizing the contours of the allocation of satellite spectrum to the operators and for the same fee. So far, Onweb, Starlink and Jio Satellite have secured the licenses in the country to provide satellite internet services. As recommended by trai and considered by DOT, Satcom businesses will have to pay annual spectrum costs of either 4% of their adjusted gross income (AGR) or £ 3,500 per MHz, which is also higher. In addition, Tri has recommended an extra annual cost of £ 500 per subscriber for such service providers in urban areas. SATCOM operators will also have to pay an annual authorization fee of 8% of the adjusted gross income (AGR) to the government, according to the current conditions of the DOT. Read more: Big technical firms cry fault about India’s new telephone verification rules, mention privacy issues, costs catch all operational news, bank news and updates on live mint. Download the Mint News app to get daily market updates. More Topics #Telecom Read Next Story