During the India Satcom Symposium 2024, Minister for Communications, IT, and Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, highlighted the significance of satellite communications (satcom) in extending connectivity to remote and far-flung areas, particularly in the northeast region of India. Vaishnaw noted that terrestrial mobile networks currently cover over 95% of the country, with satellite communication playing a crucial role in reaching inaccessible regions. He emphasized that even the remotest villages, including those in the northeast, along the Himalayas, and in forest and island areas, are being covered through satellite communication.
The symposium, organized by ETSatcom, witnessed the participation of top industry executives globally, along with regulatory and government officials from key organizations such as the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (Inspace), Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Vaishnaw highlighted India’s strides in technology development, particularly in the telecom domain, mentioning the achievement of developing an end-to-end telecom stack, a feat considered challenging by many nations. He underscored that India has now joined the select group of countries possessing such indigenous technology.
India’s indigenous 4G-5G telecom stack, developed recently, is being deployed by the state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) across the nation. The successful testing of the indigenous telecom stack for BSNL’s 4G network, which facilitated 10 million simultaneous mobile phone calls in December 2022, underscores India’s technological advancements in the telecom sector. Moreover, the state-owned telco has been providing very small aperture terminal (VSAT) communication services based on Ku band, with an earth station situated in Bengaluru.
Vaishnaw also highlighted the significance of digital public infrastructure (DPI) and public-private partnerships (PPP) in revolutionizing financial services, eCommerce, and government-citizen interactions. He expressed optimism about witnessing similar innovations in the space sector, emphasizing the government’s commitment to promoting space-related innovation and supporting startups in this domain. The Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aims to foster space-related innovation and private sector participation in the space industry, as outlined in the Indian Space Policy unveiled in April last year.
Minister of State for Science and Technology and the Department of Space, Jitendra Singh, emphasized the prime role of the private sector in achieving the expected economic growth in the space sector. Under the policy roadmap, private players are increasingly engaging in space-based applications and services, collaborating with international space organizations and firms to enhance service delivery and foster innovation in the burgeoning space industry.
