India's Satellite Policy Shift

India is intensifying its efforts to bolster national security by restricting the use of satellites with Chinese connections for domestic broadcasters and teleporters amidst geopolitical tensions with China.

Regulatory Actions by IN-SPACe

• IN-SPACe Rejections: The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) has denied proposals from Chinasat, ApStar, and AsiaSat to provide satellite services in India.
• AsiaSat's Current Authorization: AsiaSat presently has approval only for its AS5 and AS7 satellites until March, while proposals for other satellites like AS6, AS8, and AS9 have been rejected.

Transition to Alternative Satellites

• Broadcasters' Shift: Companies such as JioStar and Zee have begun transitioning from AsiaSat 5 and 7 to alternative satellites like GSAT and Intelsat.
• Zee's Confirmation: Zee has already moved its services to GSAT-30, GSAT-17, and Intelsat-20.

AsiaSat's Response and Negotiations

• Negotiations: AsiaSat, through its partner Inorbit Space, is in discussions with IN-SPACe to secure continued service authorization in India.
• Inorbit Space's Statement: Despite AsiaSat's historical compliance, IN-SPACe has not provided reasons for declining long-term authorization.

Overall Regulatory Environment

• Authorization Requirement: A new regulatory overhaul mandates all foreign satellites to obtain authorization from IN-SPACe for service provision in India.
• Authorized Foreign Satellites: Satellites from Intelsat, Starlink, OneWeb, and others have secured authorization.

India's Space Capacity and Economic Implications

• Self-reliance in Satellite Capacity: India is developing sufficient satellite capacity through GSAT, minimizing dependency on foreign satellites.
• Space Economy Growth: India's space economy is projected to reach a valuation of $44 billion by 2033, increasing its global share from 2% to 8%.
• Communications as a Growth Driver: The communications sector, including firms like Starlink and Amazon Kuiper, is poised to significantly contribute to the space sector's growth.