New Delhi: The Department of Telecommunications ( DoT) has asked both Elon Musk-owned Starlink and Jeff Bezos’s Amazon to provide compliances regarding certain security parameters as it looks to process their applications for offering satellite communications services in the country.
Officials aware of the details told ET that letters to both the US-based firms were sent recently and the department is awaiting their reply. “Their applications can be processed only after they submit the compliance. The firms have so far not replied,” said a person familiar with the details.
Another official said the government will wait for some more time for their reply and may also send a reminder, but the applications won’t be processed till they agree to all the security conditions.
“There are various security-related compliances as well as those related to data, coverage area etc which satcom providers have to give to the government in order to offer services in India. All the boxes need to be ticked,” said a third official.
Queries sent to Starlink and Amazon remained unanswered at the time of going to press.
So far, Bharti-backed Eutelsat Oneweb and Reliance Jio’s joint venture with Luxembourg-based satellite provider SES have got approval to offer satcom services in India.
Starlink had applied for a global mobile personal communication by satellite services (GMPCS) licence in October 2022 and Amazon late last year.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is undertaking a process to provide recommendations around pricing and other terms and conditions for allocating satellite spectrum.
While the Telecommunications Act 2023 mandates that satcom spectrum has to be given administratively, the telecom firms including Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea, want a level-playing field between satcom and terrestrial players. This is because operators believe satcom companies will in future be able to offer similar services like they do, hence should face the same liabilities and obligations like carriers.
Earlier this year, the DoT had sought some clarity from Starlink regarding data storage and shareholding patterns, including investments or contracts from US security agencies. The company was also asked to adhere to the geographical coverage map of India and provide all details, including latitude and longitude of its terminals that would be set up near border areas.
As per security requirements, the terminals have to stop communicating if there is a change in latitude and longitude position in order to prevent any misuse.
In its replies to the government, Starlink had given a declaration that none of its investors were from countries sharing a land border with India –primarily China and Pakistan. The government had accepted that declaration.
However, Starlink did not provide full shareholding details of parent SpaceX as US privacy laws bar unlisted companies from making full disclosure of this information.
Officials said while Starlink has agreed to various conditions which are part of a GMPCS license, there are a few which remain to be addressed. Earlier, Starlink was believed to have assured the government that it would provide satcom connectivity to certain rural and far-flung areas “free of cost” under government schemes such as the one under Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF).
“Global constellations offer services across the globe, and it becomes much more important for the government and the security agencies to guard the country from foreign interference,” said the first official.
Amazon too has been asked to provide all these compliances. There are around 30-40 compliances which satcom firms have to provide to the government.
Both the companies have also applied to space regulator Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) – in addition to the GMPCS application-- to get the necessary approvals for starting satcom services in India.
While Starlink has over 6000 low earth orbit (LEO) satellites already working, Amazon’s Project Kuiper plans to have an initial satellite constellation comprising 3,236 LEO satellites for which deployment will commence in early 2025 and rolling out commercial service later in the year.
Amazon had earlier told ET that it’s looking forward to working with the Indian government and local partners to bring “affordable broadband” across India in what it called a “long term initiative.”
Officials aware of the details told ET that letters to both the US-based firms were sent recently and the department is awaiting their reply. “Their applications can be processed only after they submit the compliance. The firms have so far not replied,” said a person familiar with the details.
Another official said the government will wait for some more time for their reply and may also send a reminder, but the applications won’t be processed till they agree to all the security conditions.
“There are various security-related compliances as well as those related to data, coverage area etc which satcom providers have to give to the government in order to offer services in India. All the boxes need to be ticked,” said a third official.
Queries sent to Starlink and Amazon remained unanswered at the time of going to press.
So far, Bharti-backed Eutelsat Oneweb and Reliance Jio’s joint venture with Luxembourg-based satellite provider SES have got approval to offer satcom services in India.
Starlink had applied for a global mobile personal communication by satellite services (GMPCS) licence in October 2022 and Amazon late last year.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is undertaking a process to provide recommendations around pricing and other terms and conditions for allocating satellite spectrum.
While the Telecommunications Act 2023 mandates that satcom spectrum has to be given administratively, the telecom firms including Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea, want a level-playing field between satcom and terrestrial players. This is because operators believe satcom companies will in future be able to offer similar services like they do, hence should face the same liabilities and obligations like carriers.
Earlier this year, the DoT had sought some clarity from Starlink regarding data storage and shareholding patterns, including investments or contracts from US security agencies. The company was also asked to adhere to the geographical coverage map of India and provide all details, including latitude and longitude of its terminals that would be set up near border areas.
As per security requirements, the terminals have to stop communicating if there is a change in latitude and longitude position in order to prevent any misuse.
In its replies to the government, Starlink had given a declaration that none of its investors were from countries sharing a land border with India –primarily China and Pakistan. The government had accepted that declaration.
However, Starlink did not provide full shareholding details of parent SpaceX as US privacy laws bar unlisted companies from making full disclosure of this information.
Officials said while Starlink has agreed to various conditions which are part of a GMPCS license, there are a few which remain to be addressed. Earlier, Starlink was believed to have assured the government that it would provide satcom connectivity to certain rural and far-flung areas “free of cost” under government schemes such as the one under Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF).
“Global constellations offer services across the globe, and it becomes much more important for the government and the security agencies to guard the country from foreign interference,” said the first official.
Amazon too has been asked to provide all these compliances. There are around 30-40 compliances which satcom firms have to provide to the government.
Both the companies have also applied to space regulator Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) – in addition to the GMPCS application-- to get the necessary approvals for starting satcom services in India.
While Starlink has over 6000 low earth orbit (LEO) satellites already working, Amazon’s Project Kuiper plans to have an initial satellite constellation comprising 3,236 LEO satellites for which deployment will commence in early 2025 and rolling out commercial service later in the year.
Amazon had earlier told ET that it’s looking forward to working with the Indian government and local partners to bring “affordable broadband” across India in what it called a “long term initiative.”
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