India is a step closer to being able to launch its own Starlink-like satellite internet network, with Reliance Jio getting approval from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) for its proposed 1,600-satellite Low Earth Orbit (LEO) network.
The approval is significant in India’s rapidly growing space and telecommunications industry and will allow Jio to implement nationwide satellite broadband and mobile satellite services. The project will still need further regulatory approval and spectrum-related approval before commercialization, and it is an important step toward satellite-based connectivity in India.
🚨 JUST IN: 🇮🇳 India to get its own Starlink-like satellite internet network.
— Beats in Brief 🗞️ (@beatsinbrief) July 17, 2026
Reliance Jio receives IN-SPACe approval for its proposed 1,600-satellite LEO constellation, moving a step closer to launching satellite broadband services across the country. pic.twitter.com/dJKjXt6iUi
The proposed constellation of 1,600 LEO satellites is meant to provide reliable, fast, and low-latency internet to urban, rural, and remote regions. Unlike traditional geostationary satellites about 36,000 km above the Earth, LEO satellites are much closer to the planet for faster data transfer and better user experience.
Satellite broadband is expected to be very important in connecting areas where fiber-optic cables or mobile towers are difficult to build due to terrain or poor infrastructure. It will provide access to the internet in mountainous areas, on islands, in border areas, in forests, and other areas that are not well served.
Jio's planned satellite system is expected to support a wide range of applications, including broadband internet, mobile backhaul, disaster management, telemedicine, online education, digital governance, enterprise connectivity, agriculture, maritime communications, and emergency response services.
The approval also indicates the growing role of IN-SPACe, the regulatory body that is in charge of private companies in India's space sector. Private companies are now more involved in satellite manufacturing, launch services, Earth observation, communication technologies, and other space applications since the space industry liberalized.
India's satellite communications market is growing rapidly as the need for reliable, high-speed communications grows. Satellite internet will be an important part of the country's digital infrastructure as it will be in addition to terrestrial 4G, 5G, and fiber connections, and will be in place for the digital infrastructure to be implemented in places where high-speed networks are not possible.
The development comes in the midst of intense global competition for satellite broadband, with many international companies already using large LEO constellations to provide internet services worldwide. A domestic satellite network could enhance India’s digital sovereignty and its ability to become less dependent on foreign infrastructure and help to drive the country’s expanding digital economy.
Industry experts believe that indigenous satellite broadband capabilities will also contribute to national priorities such as Digital India, improving connectivity for schools, healthcare institutions, businesses, government services, and millions of citizens in underserved regions.
The project is also expected to stimulate investment in India’s growing space ecosystem by creating opportunities in satellite manufacturing, ground infrastructure, software development, cloud services, cybersecurity, and aerospace engineering.
As the internet demand for artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and digital services increases, satellite-based connectivity will become increasingly important in order to have a reliable nationwide communications infrastructure.
Now that IN-SPACe has approved it, Reliance Jio is closer to achieving its vision of creating an indigenous satellite broadband network. If completed, the constellation could transform internet access in India, bridging the digital divide and making the country an emerging leader in space and telecommunications technology globally.
