Airtel-backed Eutelsat OneWeb has completed security demonstrations and has its infrastructure ready but is awaiting final government approvals to launch satellite communication services in India, said a company official.
Airtel-backed Eutelsat OneWeb has its infrastructure ready and has completed security demonstrations but is awaiting further government approvals to launch satellite communication services in India, Bharti Airtel Chief Regulatory Officer Rahul Vatts said on Friday. Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2026 in New Delhi, Vatts said the company had secured the necessary licence and authorisation from India’s space regulator, IN-SPACe, and was awaiting the next steps from the government. “Our infrastructure is ready. We have got our licence in place. We also got the authorisation from IN-SPACe. We have now also done the security demonstrations, and we will wait, like everybody else, to get the next steps from the government,” he said.
Regulatory Process and Industry Competition
His remarks come amid an ongoing controversy over delays in launching satellite internet services in India, following allegations by SpaceX chief Elon Musk that powerful business interests were obstructing Starlink’s entry into the country. Asked about Musk’s allegations and the delay in Starlink’s commercial launch, Vatts said all three satellite communication operators were undergoing the same regulatory process. “There are three, as we understand it. It’s OneWeb, there is Starlink, there is Jio, and all of us are undergoing the same process,” he said. “It’s really about fulfilling the requirements of the country. I think that should be of prime importance,” he added.
The Ministry of Communications, in an official statement on Thursday, rejected allegations of discrimination in the satellite communication approval process, saying that OneWeb, Starlink and Jio Satellite Communications were at broadly the same regulatory stage. The ministry clarified that security assessments were underway for all three licensed operators and that spectrum assignment could be sought after completion of the required security process.
On Friday, Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia also reiterated that India does not allow monopolies and that satellite operators must fulfil the necessary security requirements before beginning commercial operations.
Service Testing and Demonstrations
Meanwhile, Vatts said the government had provided provisional spectrum to OneWeb for testing satellite-based services. “The government has taken a lot of visionary steps already. They have also given us provisional spectrum to be able to test out what can be the usages,” he said.
He added that OneWeb had been working with multiple government agencies, including the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), to demonstrate how satellite connectivity could restore communications within hours during natural disasters.
Other Airtel Technology Initiatives
Sovereign Cloud for Data Residency
On Airtel’s other technology initiatives, Vatts highlighted the company’s sovereign cloud platform, aimed at ensuring that sensitive Indian data remains under domestic control and jurisdiction. “We all know data residency has been a big issue in the country, but it’s time we start thinking: Is the data really under our control?” he said.
He said the platform was particularly important for critical information related to healthcare, energy, banking and identity.
Cybersecurity and 6G Preparations
Vatts also highlighted Airtel’s cybersecurity operations, including its security operations centre already implemented for Indian Railways, and said the company was preparing infrastructure for the transition to sixth-generation (6G) telecom technology. “While 4G, we were behind, 5G we caught up, and now we really have to take a lead,” he said, adding that further development would accelerate once 6G specifications became clear.
International Roaming Benefits
On international roaming, he said Airtel was offering benefits of up to Rs 2,000 to customers, aimed at improving connectivity and convenience for Indians travelling overseas. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)