Face2News/Chandigarh
India should authorise Starlink and the other licensed satellite broadband operators within a fixed period, on enforceable Indian terms and on an equal footing, rather than leaving the decision to open-ended review. That is the central recommendation of “Starlink and India: A Policy Framework”, a policy paper by KBS Sidhu, former Special Chief Secretary, Government of Punjab. He has submitted it to the Cabinet Secretary, Shri T.V. Somanathan.
Because the decision rests with four separate authorities, the paper recommends that a Committee of Secretaries process the pending approvals in parallel and complete the security assessment for all three licensees (Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio-SES) within a published period, such as 90 days.
“The choice is not between admitting Starlink and keeping it out,” KBS Sidhu said. “It is between admitting it on terms India sets and can enforce, and delaying it indefinitely while smuggled, unregistered terminals fill the vacuum.”
THE PAPER COMPARES HOW TEN COUNTRIES HAVE HANDLED STARLINK:
■ Clear conditions set early: Bangladesh, Indonesia and Vietnam gained service on enforceable terms.
■ Open-ended review: South Africa lost years until December 2025, and Pakistan is still without service.
■ Operational dependence: Ukraine’s experience shows the risk of relying on a foreign operator without
contractual safeguards.
On security, the paper treats the Department of Telecommunications’ May 2025 conditions as a floor, not a ceiling. These cover gateways and interception in India, terminal registration, real-time location tracking and border monitoring zones. It proposes adding:
■ a binding sovereign-override clause, under which the Government of India’s directions on Indian territory prevail over any foreign instruction;
■ independent Indian testing of geo-fencing;
■ a resident Indian security officer;
■ a guarantee against unilateral withdrawal of service, backed by a performance bank guarantee.
“Security comes from enforceable conditions applied equally to every operator, not from delay,” KBS Sidhu said.
On investment, the paper recommends granting foreign investment approval through the government route, on conditions:
■ an Indian operating entity;
■ local manufacture of user terminals on a fixed timetable, under the production-linked incentive framework;
■ a universal-service obligation to connect schools, primary health centres and panchayat offices in aspirational and border districts, modelled on South Africa’s equity-equivalent route.
The paper also urges keeping defence and critical government communications off any single foreign constellation, and funding an Indian low-earth-orbit capability. It proposes that, ahead of commercial launch, government-controlled satellite terminals be authorised for the National and State Disaster Response Forces and district administrations.
It points out that 11,256 villages had no 4G coverage as of May 2026. Satellite broadband is often the only practical connection for Himalayan and north-eastern hill districts, islands, deserts and border belts, and in floods, cyclones and conflict.
The paper proposes equal treatment for all licensees, including Amazon’s Kuiper once licensed: one rulebook, one spectrum price and one timetable. It also calls for a published status table of pending approvals and an independent review after three years.
THE FOUR AUTHORITIES WHOSE APPROVALS MUST BE COORDINATED ARE:
■ the Ministry of Home Affairs, for security clearance;
■ the Department of Telecommunications and the Union Cabinet, for spectrum;
■ the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, for foreign investment;
■ IN-SPACe, for space authorisation.
KBS Sidhu, who is also the Founder-Editor of The KBS Chronicle, has served as Additional Chief Secretary (Home) in Punjab. He holds an MA in Economics from the University of Manchester and a Gold Medal B.E. in Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering.
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