Reliance Jio, led by Mukesh Ambani, is poised to receive landing rights and market access permissions from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) this month. These crucial authorizations pave the way for Jio’s provision of gigabit fibre services via satellite in India.
An individual familiar with the matter informed ET that Jio has submitted all requisite details to IN-SPACe and expects the necessary approvals imminently. These authorizations are integral for deploying global satellite bandwidth capacity within India.
The intricate approval process at IN-SPACe involves clearances from various ministries and security protocols. Pawan Goenka, IN-SPACe’s chairman, declined specific comments on Jio’s approvals but acknowledged several pending applications.
Jio Platforms and SES, a Luxembourg-based satellite communications provider, established a 51:49 joint venture to offer broadband access through satellites. This move aligns with efforts by other key players like Tatas, Amazon, Eutelsat OneWeb, and Elon Musk’s Starlink entering the satellite communications market.
While Jio’s satellite division holds a GMPCS license from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), it awaits IN-SPACe authorizations for operations.
In the burgeoning Indian satellite communications sector, Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio-SES vie for early market dominance against competitors like Tatas, Amazon, and Starlink. Jio anticipates launching JioSpaceFiber services shortly after securing spectrum, as shared by the company’s president, Mathew Oommen.
Recent legislative backing in the Telecommunications Act, 2023 suggests a streamlined process for the DoT to allocate satellite spectrum, potentially expediting the assignment.
Projections from IN-SPACe estimate India’s space economy to surge to $44 billion by 2033, capturing around 8% of the global market, significantly up from its current share of 2%.
Satellite-based broadband services in India aim to cater to underserved regions lacking traditional high-speed internet, primarily targeting remote and rural areas without adequate terrestrial broadband connectivity.
