Satcom policy needed: Govt must streamline processes for satellite telecom

Government approval to Starlink, especially security clearance, is another loose end that needs attention

India’s two top telecom companies, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, have, in a surprise development, announced tieups with American space technology company SpaceX, in which cofounder Elon Musk holds a majority stake. The partnerships would enable Starlink, a fully owned subsidiary of SpaceX, to bring its satellite broadband service to India. Starlink, which already operates in 120 markets worldwide, is expected to come with international expertise in providing high-speed and low-latency internet connectivity. OneWeb, majority owned by the Bharti group, and Reliance Jio are geared up to launch their respective satellite broadband services in India.

 

While the industry is in