Starlink, OneWeb technically ready for commercial launch: IN-SPACe chief Pawan Goenka

With policy reforms such as 100% FDI approval and the forthcoming spectrum guidelines, Goenka said satcom is poised for significant uptake.

With spectrum allocation in its final stages, India is on the brink of its first commercial satcom launches, though services from Starlink, OneWeb and others will stay limited to specialised use-cases rather than mass-market adoption, IN-SPACe chief Pawan Goenka told Moneycontrol in an interview.

Goenka confirmed that three satcom companies Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio-Ses combine have already received IN-SPACe authorisation, and security trials are underway. “From IN-SPACe’s side, there is no remaining security compliance or approval pending. Spectrum assignment and licensing fall under DoT and TRAI,” he said, adding that the internal process for spectrum allocation is in its final stages.

Once spectrum is allotted, Goenka said, India will see the first wave of commercial satellite-based broadband services. He emphasised that satcom will complement rather than compete with terrestrial networks. “Terrestrial connectivity will remain dominant for times to come. Satcom will serve niche areas — especially backhaul and hard-to-reach regions. It is not taking business away from terrestrial; the capacities are not comparable,” he said.

While global discussions around direct-to-mobile satellite services are gaining momentum, Goenka said such services will remain niche in the near term.

On new entrants, Goenka noted that Amazon’s Kuiper application is currently under IN-SPACe review, while other global players like Globalstar — a satellite partner for Apple devices — have submitted applications for single satellites, but not for full constellations. “To the best of my knowledge, no applications for full satellite constellations have come in,” he said.

Goenka also reiterated that IN-SPACe’s mandate includes evaluating national security, safety, legal compliance and international treaty obligations — a stance that has become critical amid interest from foreign players such as ChinaSat, APT Satellite and AsiaSat. “Whatever we have stated is already in the public domain. We remain fully focussed on security aspects,” he said.

With policy reforms such as 100 percent FDI approval and the forthcoming spectrum guidelines, Goenka said satcom is poised for significant uptake. “We are very close. It’s just a matter of spectrum approval — once that happens, services can begin quickly,” he said.