In a major boost to its space communication plans, Reliance Jio has received the approval of India’s space regulator, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), for its proposal to launch 1,600 low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites. The IN-SPACe described the system, which is comparable to global systems like Starlink, as “technically sound”, as reported by The Economic Times.
The approval was granted after IN-SPACe carried out an evaluation and coordination with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Wireless Planning and Coordination (WPC) wing of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). The space regulator highlighted the benefits of Reliance Jio’s proposal, including reduced dependence on overseas companies. The approval means that the government offer regulatory support to the Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Jio at the international level for securing orbital slots. It is reported that Reliance Jio had sought assistance from the government for International Telecommunications Union (ITU) filings and orbital rights through coordination with other companies.
The development will make it possible for India to up its homegrown LEO constellation, which will cater to national security and strategic defence requirements. The LEO satellite segment is currently dominated by the US business tycoon Elon Musk-owned Starlink with over 10,000 satellites.
The LEO segment is dominated by Elon Musk-owned Starlink with over 10,000 satellites. But geopolitical conflicts are pushing countries to reduce dependence on overseas satellite companies. As of June 1, 2026, Starlink is operating 10,397 working satellites out of 10,413 launched.
Reliance Jio plans to offer fixed satellite services such as broadband, cellular backhaul, as well as mobile satellite services like direct to device. The company plans to set up 20-22 ground stations. The company aims to set up a space-based communication network, which is capable of delivering high-speed internet and mobile connectivity across India. The company reportedly proposed to offer 4.5-5 terabit per second (Tbps) throughput over India. Comparatively, Starlink has approval for 600 Gigabit per second (Gbps) while Amazon Leo plans to have 3 Tbps capacity over India, but it is yet to secure authorisation from IN-SPACe.
