TRAI Recommendations Approved: Elon Musk's Starlink Likely To Launch In India

New Delhi: Now, the deck has been cleared for commercial satellite broadband services in India with Starlink, OneWeb and Reliance Jio, which can begin their services soon across the country. Digital Communications Commission (DCC) has approved the recommendations of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on satellite spectrum allocation at its meeting on September 2, the sources privy to development said on Tuesday.

With this nod, these satellite-broadband services are expected to acquire spectrum now from the government, establish ground infrastructure, and demonstrate compliance with national security requirements via trials and testing. “India is moving closer to opening the door for Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio-Eutelsat who are expected to soon gain greater clarity on spectrum allocation,” the sources said.

The telecom watchdog had submitted its recommendations, putting some terms and conditions for assigning spectrum for certain satellite-based commercial communication services last year. The regulator subsequently responded to a department of telecommunications back-reference in December 2025. However, the move may pave the way for the Centre to assign spectrum to satellite communication firms seeking to launch broadband services in India.

However, the sources said that under the framework cleared by the government panel, satellite service providers are expected to receive spectrum for five years. “Companies would also be required to pay a spectrum usage charge (SUC) equivalent to 5 percent of adjusted gross revenue (AGR),” the sources added.

The government is also expected to provide a lower spectrum usage charge for companies extending satellite connectivity to rural and remote areas, in an effort to encourage services in regions where terrestrial broadband infrastructure remains limited. The decision comes as global and Indian satellite operators step up preparations for the country's emerging satcom market.

Eutelsat OneWeb, backed by Bharti Airtel, has been seeking security clearance to begin commercial services, while Starlink India and Reliance’s Jio are also progressing with their India plans. The spectrum framework is expected to be a key regulatory step before the pan-India rollout of commercial satellite broadband services at a scale.