Ahead of Starlink launch, Govt wants Elon Musk and others to be nice and coordinate with homegrown players

Published 7 August 2026 · india

India is all set to get satellite connectivity from players such as Starlink and Eutelsat OneWeb. However, even before these companies can launch their services

India is all set to get satellite connectivity from players such as Starlink and Eutelsat OneWeb. However, even before these companies can launch their services, the government is considering new rules that could put additional conditions on their operations. According to reports, the Centre is planning new rules that would require global satellite companies to coordinate with Indian players such as Jio before getting spectrum and launching services. Read Full Story According to a report by The Economic Times, citing sources, the government wants to prevent global satellite companies from gaining an unfair advantage over Indian operators. As part of this plan, the Centre could bring in new regulations which will make global players not “block or thwart” the entry of Indian companies into the space communications sector. The Centre and space regulator IN-SPACe are looking to strengthen the broader satcom industry while giving Indian satellite constellations room to develop.

\The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is expected to include provisions for this in its upcoming draft spectrum assignment rules for global non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellite communication players. Why is India worried about local satellite players? According to the report, the Indian government is concerned that global satellite operators may already have an advantage over newer Indian players. International companies have secured preferred orbital positions, and officials believe they could potentially use this advantage to make it harder for Indian operators to enter the market. The issue comes down to coordination and interference. In simple terms, satellites getting in each other’s way. Satellite operators need to adjust their systems, including satellites, ground stations and receiver angles, so that their signals do not interfere with one another. If an existing global operator does not coordinate with a newer Indian company, the Indian player could face interference and may not be able to start its service.

The Global operators also have an advantage because the newer company may need to make more changes to its system to avoid interference. Another reason behind the proposed regulation is national security. Satellite networks can operate across borders, which means a country may not always have full control over how these systems are used. This has reportedly raised concerns among Indian security officials, especially after Starlink terminals were reportedly found being used in Iran during the West Asia war despite a ban. The Centre therefore wants to strengthen Indian satellite networks, particularly for defence and national security. Hence, the proposed rules could require global satellite companies to coordinate with Indian operators before launching services. This would help protect local players, prevent interference and address national security concerns. Rules will favour Jio and other Indian companies Jio is among the Indian companies that could benefit from the proposed rules.