Satellite Showdown: India’s Next Internet Leap Is in the Sky

The next battleground for broadband isn’t undersea cables — it’s low Earth orbit. As India pushes to close its last-mile connectivity gaps, satellite internet is emerging as a moonshot with terrestrial promise. With Jio, OneWeb, and Starlink ready to beam down broadband from space, the race is officially on.

Regulators Clear the Runway

In early 2025, India’s Department of Telecommunications approved multiple LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellite communication licenses. This greenlight paves the way for new satellite constellations to begin commercial trials by late 2025 — bringing fast, affordable internet to remote and underserved regions.

Key Contenders

• Starlink: Elon Musk’s SpaceX-led venture is eyeing rural India with a pre-order base already in the thousands. The promise: plug-and-play internet, no fiber needed.
• JioSpaceFiber: Reliance’s satellite arm, in partnership with SES, aims to blanket India with high-throughput satellite (HTS) coverage — starting with 4G dark zones.
• OneWeb: Backed by Bharti and Eutelsat, OneWeb plans to focus on enterprise-grade connectivity, backhaul for telcos, and defense-grade secure links.

Why Satellite, Why Now?

India’s terrestrial broadband rollout — though rapid — has plateaued in geographies where laying fiber is prohibitively expensive. Satellite fills this white space, offering scalable internet access in mountains, deserts, forests, and border zones where traditional ISPs can’t reach economically.

Challenges in Orbit

• Hardware costs: At $400–$600 per terminal, affordability remains a hurdle for rural users despite bulk subsidies under discussion.
• Spectrum battles: Telecom incumbents have called for auctioning satellite spectrum, potentially delaying rollout and raising costs.
• Weather risk: Rain fade and signal stability under India’s diverse climate remain technological challenges.

What’s at Stake?

If execution aligns, satellite internet could catalyze digital inclusion at scale. From telemedicine in Ladakh to smart agriculture in Madhya Pradesh, reliable internet could unlock a second wave of rural innovation. For telcos, it also opens new revenue lines — from enterprise data pipes to IoT deployments.

The Bottom Line

The sky’s no longer the limit — it’s the infrastructure. As India embraces a multi-orbit broadband future, the satellite race isn’t just about coverage — it’s about control, capability, and digital sovereignty. Watch this space — literally.

– bataSutra Editorial