The Government of India on Thursday issued a firm clarification dismissing claims circulating on social media regarding alleged discrimination in the regulatory framework for satellite communication services.
In a press release issued by the Ministry of Communications through the Press Information Bureau (PIB), the government termed suggestions that the authorization process is applied in an unfair or discriminatory manner as “baseless and misconceived”.
Fair Framework Across Non-Geosynchronous Orbit Operators
The Ministry highlighted that India has established a transparent, non-discriminatory authorization policy for all telecommunication services.
Under this framework, telecom licenses for Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) services based on Non-Geosynchronous Satellite Orbit (NGSO) technology have been granted to three entities.
Security Assessment Underway for All Licensees
Addressing concerns surrounding spectrum allocation timelines, the government reiterated that compliance with national security conditions remains a mandatory prerequisite for every licensee.
”Under the terms and conditions of license, every such licensee is required to demonstrate compliance with security conditions. This is aimed at ensuring that services provided meet various security requirements to ensure safety of all users and their data,” the PIB release stated.
The Ministry emphasized that security evaluations are currently underway for all three licensed entities without exception.
Clear Path Toward Spectrum Assignment
The government clarified that seeking spectrum assignment is the next logical phase in the authorization pipeline, which can only be initiated once an entity completes the security evaluation.
Because all three GMPCS operators currently sit at broadly the same regulatory stage, the Centre maintained that rumors of unequal treatment or regulatory bias hold no ground.
