Satellite Internet in India, Features, Working Mechanism, Significance, Challenges, UPSC Notes!

Satellite internet in India is emerging as a transformative solution to bridge the country’s digital divide, especially in remote and rural areas where traditional broadband and fiber connectivity face challenges. With global players like Starlink, OneWeb, and Amazon Kuiper alongside Indian initiatives, satellite internet aims to provide high-speed, low-latency connectivity across the nation. This technology is expected to play a crucial role in India’s vision of Digital India and its push towards inclusive growth.

In the UPSC exam, the topic of satellite internet in India is primarily relevant to General Studies Paper-3 (Science & Technology, Infrastructure, and Economy).

Download the Last 10 Years UPSC Question Papers with Answers PDF!

Download the Prelims Pointers on Satellite Internet in India UPSC!

What is Satellite Internet?

Satellite internet is a form of internet connectivity that uses satellites orbiting the Earth to transmit and receive data. Unlike traditional broadband services that rely on physical cables (like fiber optics or coaxial cables), satellite internet transmits signals wirelessly from a ground station, up to a satellite, and back down to a small dish antenna at the user's location.

Modern satellite internet systems primarily use constellations of satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), a significant evolution from the older, geostationary (GEO) satellite systems. The LEO satellites orbit the Earth at a much lower altitude (approximately 550 km compared to 36,000 km for GEO), which drastically reduces signal latency.

Read the article on the Types of Orbits! 

About Satellite Internet in India

India, with its vast geographical expanse, rugged terrains, and a large population living in rural and remote areas, presents a unique challenge for traditional terrestrial internet infrastructure. The government's vision of universal broadband access through schemes like the BharatNet project has faced hurdles in reaching every corner of the country. This is where satellite internet emerges as a game-changer. It offers a scalable and rapid solution to provide high-speed connectivity to areas that are either too difficult or too expensive to connect with fiber or cellular towers.

Know more about the CMS-01 Satellite - India's 42nd Communications Satellite!

What is the Current Status of Satellite Internet in India?

The Indian government, through the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), has been actively working on creating a conducive regulatory framework for satcom services.

• Licensing: Major global players like Starlink and Eutelsat OneWeb have secured crucial licences to operate in India.
• Spectrum Allocation: The government is finalizing the framework for the allocation of satellite spectrum.
• Indigenous Efforts: Indian companies are also stepping up. Reliance Jio, in partnership with SES, has launched JioSpaceFiber, positioning it as one of the first providers of satellite-based gigabit connectivity in India. Other private players like Ananth Technologies are also in the race, with plans to launch their own geostationary satellites.

Read the article on Satellite Communication!

The applications of satellite internet are diverse and far-reaching, with a particular relevance to India's developmental goals:

• Bridging the Digital Divide: Providing internet access to millions in remote villages, tribal areas, and island territories where terrestrial infrastructure is absent.
• Education and Healthcare: Enabling online learning platforms and telemedicine services in rural schools and healthcare centers, improving access to quality education and medical consultation.
• Disaster Management: Establishing crucial communication links in disaster-stricken areas where ground-based networks have failed. This was demonstrated by Starlink's role in providing emergency communication during global conflicts and natural calamities.
• National Security: Strengthening communication networks for defense forces, particularly in difficult-to-reach border regions and high-altitude areas like the Himalayas.
• E-commerce and Financial Inclusion: Empowering rural entrepreneurs and artisans by connecting them to e-commerce platforms and enabling digital financial services.

List of Satellite Internet Providers in India

Several major players are vying for a share of the Indian market:

• Starlink (SpaceX)
• Eutelsat OneWeb
• JioSpaceFiber (Reliance Jio & SES)
• Amazon’s Project Kuiper
• Ananth Technologies

What are the Key Features of Satellite Internet?

Some of the key characteristics of satellite internet have been listed below:

• Global Reach – Provides connectivity anywhere on the planet, even in regions lacking terrestrial infrastructure.
• Low Latency with LEO – Modern Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites reduce signal delay compared to older GEO systems, making video calls and gaming smoother.
• Rapid Deployment – Requires minimal ground setup and can be deployed quickly, making it useful during emergencies or in temporary setups.
• High Throughput – Offers high-speed internet, often matching or exceeding traditional broadband in remote areas.
• Weather Dependency – Service quality may drop during heavy rain or snow due to a phenomenon called rain fade.

Read the article on the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers!

The process involves a few key steps:

• User Terminal: A user at home or a business uses a small satellite dish (antenna) to send and receive signals.
• Satellite Uplink: The user terminal transmits data to a satellite in orbit.
• Ground Station Downlink: The satellite receives the signal and relays it to a ground station (also called a gateway) on Earth.
• Network Connection: The ground station connects the data to the global internet network.
• Return Path: The process is reversed to send data back to the user. In the case of LEO constellations, the satellites can also use inter-satellite links (ISLs) to communicate with each other, reducing the need to route signals through a ground station with every hop.

What is the Significance of Satellite Internet in India?

The advent of satellite internet holds immense significance for India's socio-economic development:

• Digital Empowerment: It can extend the benefits of the digital economy, including e-commerce, digital payments, and access to online government services, to a wider population.
• Economic Growth: By connecting isolated regions, it can unlock new avenues for economic activity, job creation, and entrepreneurship.
• Strategic Advantage: It provides a resilient and independent communication infrastructure, critical for military and strategic applications, especially in areas with hostile terrain.
• Inclusivity: It is a powerful tool for promoting inclusive growth by ensuring that no community is left behind in the digital age.

Read the article on the Difference Between Internet And WWW (World Wide Web)!

Despite its promise, satellite internet faces several challenges in India:

• High Cost: The cost of user terminals and monthly subscriptions remains a significant barrier for mass adoption, particularly in price-sensitive rural markets.
• Regulatory Hurdles: Navigating a complex regulatory environment, including issues of spectrum allocation and data sovereignty, can delay commercial launches.
• Infrastructure Investment: While space-based, the system still requires a substantial network of ground stations, which requires immense capital investment.
• Space Debris and Sustainability: The proliferation of mega-constellations raises concerns about orbital congestion, space debris, and the potential for a chain reaction of collisions (Kessler Syndrome), which could make LEO unusable.

Read the article on the Internet of Things (IoT)!

What can be the Way Forward?

To maximize the benefits and mitigate the challenges, a multi-pronged approach is necessary:

• Promote Competition: The government should create a level playing field for both domestic and international players to ensure competitive pricing and innovation.
• Affordability: Explore public-private partnerships, government subsidies, and tiered pricing models to make the service affordable for rural consumers.
• Indigenous Development: Encourage and invest in ISRO and private Indian startups to build and operate indigenous satellite constellations for true digital sovereignty and self-reliance.
• Regulatory Clarity: Streamline the regulatory process to expedite licences and spectrum allocation.
• Global Collaboration: India should take a leading role in global forums to establish frameworks for responsible space usage, orbital debris management, and fair spectrum allocation.

You can download the Testbook App now to check out various other topics relevant to the UPSC IAS Exam.