India is aggressively restricting the use of satellites with Chinese links by domestic broadcasters and teleporters as a measure to strengthen national security amid persistent geopolitical tensions with China. This move is part of a comprehensive regulatory overhaul of India’s space sector, favoring domestic capacity and approved international partners.

🛰️ Key Details of the Restriction

1. Regulator and Scope

• Regulating Authority: The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), under the Department of Space, is spearheading this change. IN-SPACe now mandates that all foreign satellites must seek fresh authorization to offer communication and broadcasting services in India.
• Targeted Operators: IN-SPACe has rejected proposals for new or extended services from satellite operators with significant Chinese ownership or links, primarily:
  • Asia Satellite Telecommunications Co. (AsiaSat) (Hong Kong-based with Chinese government ownership through CITIC Group).
  • Chinasat
  • ApStar (Hong Kong-based)

2. Authorization Denials and Deadlines

• AsiaSat Action: AsiaSat, a long-time provider, has had authorizations for several of its satellites (AS6, AS8, and AS9) declined. Its authorization for the remaining operational satellites, AS5 and AS7, has been capped and will expire by March 2026.
• Forced Migration: Broadcasters and teleport operators, including major entities like Zee Entertainment and JioStar, are being compelled to move their services off the China-linked satellites to alternative platforms before the deadline.
• New Platforms: Companies are migrating their services to Indian-owned satellites (GSAT-30, GSAT-17) and approved non-Chinese international operators like Intelsat-20.

3. Strategic Rationale

The restriction is driven by two main strategic imperatives:

• National Security: Space and satellite communications are now viewed as critical national security infrastructure. The government seeks to eliminate dependency on foreign, especially Chinese-linked, infrastructure to mitigate potential vulnerabilities, surveillance risks, and disruptions during geopolitical conflicts.
• Promoting Self-Reliance: India is pushing to build up its domestic satellite capacity (through ISRO’s GSAT series and the commercial arm, NSIL) to ensure companies have sufficient local alternatives. This move is aligned with the broader goal of boosting the domestic space economy, which IN-SPACe projects could reach $44 billion by 2033.

4. Approved Foreign Operators

While the policy restricts China-linked operators, it maintains an open market for approved foreign entities. Satellites from companies like Intelsat, Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb, and Inmarsat have secured or are in the process of securing the necessary authorization to operate in India.