New Delhi: India is set to witness the fastest global rollout of satellite communication (satcom), Union Minister of Communications and Development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Tuesday. 

Speaking at a seminar hosted by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the minister projected a tenfold expansion of India’s satcom market—from USD 2.3 billion currently to USD 20 billion by 2028.

Scindia emphasized that satellite telecom would complement existing communication services and enhance digital connectivity across the nation. His remarks coincided with Elon Musk’s Starlink launching services in Bangladesh. 

While Starlink has received clearance from India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT), it still awaits final approval from IN-SPACe.

Other players like Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications have already secured GMPCS licences, giving them a head start in the competitive satcom space.

Scindia also highlighted TRAI’s recent recommendations on space spectrum allocation, proposing a 4 per cent annual spectrum usage charge based on adjusted gross revenue, with a five-year licensing term, extendable by two years.

Meanwhile, he urged telecom companies to prioritize quality of service (QoS), not just market size. “We must go beyond international benchmarks in QoS,” he said.

India’s 5G rollout has been the fastest globally, covering 99 per cent of districts and 82 per cent of the population in just 22 months, Scindia added.

The minister praised the Sanchar Sathi app for enhancing telecom safety, noting it had helped block 3.4 crore fake mobile connections and recover 17 lakh stolen phones.

A recent KPMG report noted India ranks fourth globally in telecom investments, with USD 2 billion pumped into 110 firms last year.