Elon Musk-led Starlink has received a Unified Licence to launch satellite internet services in India, with a framework for spectrum allocation already in place, Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Thursday.
“The frameworks for spectrum allocation and gateway establishment are ready, ensuring smooth rollout,” Scindia said. Along with Starlink, Bharti Group-backed Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio SES are also awaiting spectrum allocation to roll out their satcom services.
The announcement came on the 30th anniversary of the first cellular call made in India in 1995.
India’s digital transformationScindia highlighted India’s digital growth under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership over the past 11 years.
“From remote villages to bustling cities, digital access has empowered citizens, bridged divides, and made India a global leader in affordable, inclusive technology,” he said.
Live EventsHe noted that telephone connections have reached 1.2 billion, and internet subscriptions have grown by 286 per cent to 970 million. “Broadband usage has seen explosive growth of over 1,450 per cent, rising from 60 million in 2014 to 944 million today. Most notably, the cost of mobile data has dropped by 96.6 per cent, making India the global leader in affordable data at just Rs 8.9 per GB,” he added.
BSNL’s revival and 5G expansionCalling the revival of BSNL a major breakthrough, Scindia said, “For the first time in 18 years, BSNL reported back-to-back net profits of Rs 262 crore and Rs 280 crore in FY 2024-25. Over 83,000 4G sites have been installed, with 74,000 already operational, all built on indigenously developed technology.”
India’s 5G rollout has covered 99.6 per cent of districts, with 4.74 lakh towers and 300 million users. “With the world’s highest per capita 5G usage (32 GB per month) and 100 Use Case Labs, India is also among the top six countries in 6G patent filings,” Scindia said.
He added that investments under the PLI scheme have touched Rs 4,305 crore, generating Rs 85,391 crore in sales and over 28,000 jobs, while FDI has nearly tripled from USD 282 million to USD 710 million.Industry’s take on 30 years of mobile serviceCOAI Director General SP Kochhar said India’s telecom sector has undergone a phenomenal transformation since the first cellular call in 1995.
“Today, India stands as the world’s second-largest telecom market, boasting over 1.2 billion subscribers and some of the most affordable tariff rates globally. An Indian subscriber now uses over 21 GB of data each month on average, which is a testament to the world-class infrastructure developed by leading Indian telecom operators,” Kochhar said.
He noted that the journey from 2G to 5G has been remarkable, with over 85 per cent of the population and 99 per cent of districts now having 5G access.
With inputs from PTI