RELIANCE JIO\u2019S PROPOSAL to deploy over 1,600 low-orbit satellites (LEO) has been given the green light by space regulator Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe). On Friday, July 17, 2026, the regulator adjudged Reliance’s proposal, declaring it as \u201ctechnically sound\u201d and on par with global systems like Elon Musk\u2019s satellite internet constellation Starlink.<\/p>\n
The assessment of Reliance’s LEO was jointly conducted by the space regulator Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO),<\/a> and the Wireless Planning and Coordination (WPC) wing of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n After this approval, the central government can now offer regulatory service to Jio at the international level as the company seeks orbital slots for its proposed constellation. The Mukesh Ambani-owned company had sought assistance from the government in securing International Telecommunication Union (ITU) filings and orbital rights, including coordination with other satellite operators.\u00a0<\/p>\n See also: Astronomers Denounce Elon Musk-Led Plan to Pollute Earth\u2019s Orbit With 1.7 Million Satellites<\/a><\/p>\n Now that Reliance has been given the greenlight for its ambitious project, it has now paved the way for the establishment of India\u2019s first domestic LEO constellation. Such a development is a necessity for national security and strategic defense requirements. As of yet, Elon Musk\u2019s Starlink remains the dominant player in the LEO segment<\/a>, with over 10,000 satellites at its arsenal. Other competitors in the business are Amazon Kuiper and French-based company Eutelsat\u2019s OneWeb. Geopolitical conflicts, however, have provoked countries to rethink their plans to reduce dependence on overseas satellite operators.<\/p>\n In its comments to the government, INSPACe had highlighted the strategic benefits of Jio\u2019s LEO constellation proposal, citing its probable usefulness in meeting India\u2019s defense requirements. The space regulator also highlighted this initiative could reduce the nation’s reliability on overseas satellite providers.<\/p>\n An official familiar with this latest development stated to The Economic Times: \u201cThe kind of capacity planned by Jio is the highest so far for India. The company has proposed to offer 4.5-5 tera bit per second (Tbps) throughput over India.\u201d<\/p>\n