Reliance Jio’s LEO satellites get IN-SPACe nod, found technically sound: Report
Following this assessment, the government can extend regulatory support to Reliance Jio at the international level for securing orbital slots.
- Jul 17, 2026,
- Updated Jul 17, 2026 3:58 PM IST
Reliance Jio's proposal to deploy around 1,600 low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites has reportedly been found technically sound and comparable to global satellite constellations like Starlink. This clears the way for regulatory support from the Indian government to secure international orbital rights, according to government officials.
According to a report in The Economic Times, the technical evaluation was conducted by the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and the Wireless Planning and Coordination (WPC) wing of the Department of Telecommunications.
Following this assessment, the government can extend regulatory support to Reliance Jio at the international level for securing orbital slots, the report said. Jio had sought assistance for filings with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and coordination with other companies to obtain orbital rights. IN-SPACe and Reliance Jio did not respond to queries.
Officials said this development paves the way for India to establish its first indigenous low Earth orbit satellite constellation, a capability seen as important for national security and strategic defence needs.
The global LEO satellite market is currently dominated by Elon Musk-owned Starlink, which operates more than 10,000 satellites. However, geopolitical conflicts have led many countries to seek alternatives to reduce dependence on overseas satellite operators.
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The report cited a source who said the scale of Jio's proposed constellation is the largest ever planned by an Indian company. The network is expected to deliver 4.5-5 terabits per second (Tbps) of capacity over India.
By comparison, Starlink has approval to provide 600 gigabits per second (Gbps) of capacity in India, while Amazon's planned LEO network proposes around 3 Tbps, though it has yet to receive authorisation from IN-SPACe.
Reliance Jio's proposal to deploy around 1,600 low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites has reportedly been found technically sound and comparable to global satellite constellations like Starlink. This clears the way for regulatory support from the Indian government to secure international orbital rights, according to government officials.
According to a report in The Economic Times, the technical evaluation was conducted by the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and the Wireless Planning and Coordination (WPC) wing of the Department of Telecommunications.
Following this assessment, the government can extend regulatory support to Reliance Jio at the international level for securing orbital slots, the report said. Jio had sought assistance for filings with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and coordination with other companies to obtain orbital rights. IN-SPACe and Reliance Jio did not respond to queries.
Officials said this development paves the way for India to establish its first indigenous low Earth orbit satellite constellation, a capability seen as important for national security and strategic defence needs.
The global LEO satellite market is currently dominated by Elon Musk-owned Starlink, which operates more than 10,000 satellites. However, geopolitical conflicts have led many countries to seek alternatives to reduce dependence on overseas satellite operators.
DON'T MISS | Aiming for the stars! Reliance Jio plans 1,650-satellite network for broadband services
The report cited a source who said the scale of Jio's proposed constellation is the largest ever planned by an Indian company. The network is expected to deliver 4.5-5 terabits per second (Tbps) of capacity over India.
By comparison, Starlink has approval to provide 600 gigabits per second (Gbps) of capacity in India, while Amazon's planned LEO network proposes around 3 Tbps, though it has yet to receive authorisation from IN-SPACe.