Reliance Jio has moved a step closer to launching India’s first indigenous low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation after its proposal to deploy around 1,600 satellites received a positive technical evaluation from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe).
According to an Economic Times report, the proposal was jointly reviewed by IN-SPACe, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Wireless Planning and Coordination (WPC) wing of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). Officials reportedly found the proposed satellite network technically comparable to leading global constellations, including Starlink.
Government Support for Orbital Rights and ITU Filings
Following the technical assessment, the government is expected to extend regulatory support to Reliance Jio for securing orbital slots and facilitating filings with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
The company had sought government assistance in obtaining orbital rights through international coordination, an essential step before deploying a large-scale satellite communication network.
Jio Plans India’s Largest LEO Satellite Capacity
According to officials familiar with the proposal, Reliance Jio aims to build the country’s largest satellite communications network in terms of capacity.
The proposed constellation is expected to provide 4.5-5 terabits per second (Tbps) of throughput across India.
For comparison:
- Reliance Jio: 4.5-5 Tbps proposed capacity
- Starlink: 600 Gbps approved capacity in India
- Amazon Project Kuiper: 3 Tbps proposed capacity (awaiting IN-SPACe authorisation)
Officials described Jio’s planned capacity as the highest ever proposed for India’s satellite communications market.
Broadband, Backhaul and Direct-to-Device Services Planned
The planned LEO constellation is designed to support multiple communication services, including:
- Satellite broadband connectivity
- Cellular backhaul for telecom networks
- Direct-to-device (D2D) satellite connectivity
- Enterprise and government satellite communication services
Reliance Jio also plans to establish 20-22 ground stations across India to support the satellite network.
Officials noted that the proposed orbital architecture has been designed to coexist with future Indian satellite constellations, allowing greater flexibility as the country’s space ecosystem expands.
Strategic Importance for India
According to the technical assessment, the proposed satellite constellation could significantly strengthen India’s strategic and defence capabilities.
An indigenous NGSO satellite network would reduce dependence on overseas satellite operators while supporting secure communications for critical infrastructure and national security applications.
The report also stated that senior government officials have initiated preliminary discussions on the possibility of hosting defence payloads on a portion of the proposed satellite constellation.
If regulatory approvals and international coordination proceed as planned, Reliance Jio’s satellite project could become India’s first homegrown NGSO LEO constellation.
The initiative is expected to play an important role in expanding broadband connectivity, supporting next-generation communication services, improving rural internet access, and strengthening India’s strategic space capabilities.
