IN-SPACe has cleared Reliance Jio's 1,600-satellite LEO plan as "technically sound," paving the way for government support in securing international orbital slots.
Jio's proposed 4.5-5 Tbps capacity over India tops both Starlink (600 Gbps approved) and Amazon Leo (3 Tbps proposed, not yet authorised).
IN-SPACe has flagged the proposal's defence value, with talks underway on hosting defence payloads on some of the satellites.
IN-SPACe Approves Jio's 1,600-Satellite Plan As India Eyes First LEO Fleet
Jio's proposed capacity is the highest planned for India so far. By comparison, Starlink holds approval for 600 Gigabit per second (Gbps) capacity in India, while Amazon Leo has proposed 3 Tbps but has not yet received authorisation from IN-SPACe
Reliance CEO Mukesh Ambani
Summary
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Space regulator IN-SPACe has found Reliance Jio's plan to launch about 1,600 low earth orbit (LEO) satellites "technically sound" and comparable to global systems such as Starlink, according to Economic Times.
The assessment was carried out jointly by the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Wireless Planning and Coordination (WPC) wing under the Department of Telecommunications.
With this clearance, the government can now extend regulatory backing to the Mukesh Ambani-led company at the international level. Jio had sought government support for International Telecommunications Union (ITU) filings and for coordinating orbital rights with other satellite operators. The approval also marks a step toward India building its first domestic LEO constellation, seen as important for national security and defence needs.
Capacity Claims Outpace Rivals
A source cited by the publication said Jio's proposed capacity is the highest planned for India so far. "The company has proposed to offer 4.5-5 tera bit per second (Tbps) throughput over India," the source reportedly said.
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By comparison, Starlink holds approval for 600 Gigabit per second (Gbps) capacity in India, while Amazon Leo has proposed 3 Tbps but has not yet received authorisation from IN-SPACe. Starlink currently operates the world's largest LEO fleet, with more than 10,000 satellites in orbit. Rising geopolitical tensions have prompted several countries to reduce reliance on foreign satellite operators for connectivity.
The report added that the orbital parameters and configuration proposed for the Jio constellation are designed to allow it to coexist with another Indian satellite constellation in the future.
Services Planned
Under its proposal, Jio intends to offer fixed satellite services including broadband and cellular backhaul, along with mobile satellite services such as direct-to-device connectivity. The company plans to set up 20 to 22 ground stations to support the network.
IN-SPACe, in its comments to the government, is learnt to have flagged the proposal's strategic value, including its potential to meet defence requirements and cut dependence on foreign satellite companies. The regulator has recommended policy and regulatory support to help India secure its first indigenous non-geostationary (NGSO) satellite constellation.
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Separately, preliminary discussions have begun at senior government levels on whether defence payloads could be hosted on some of the planned LEO satellites.