India has begun tightening control over the use of satellites linked to Chinese entities, aiming to safeguard national security amid ongoing geopolitical tensions. The move marks a shift from earlier years when India, facing limited satellite capacity, had allowed foreign operators—including those with Chinese ties—to support its broadcasting and communication needs.
The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) has now rejected applications from China-based Chinasat and Hong Kong operators ApStar and AsiaSat, which sought to continue providing satellite services to Indian firms. Despite AsiaSat’s three-decade presence in India, it currently holds short-term approval only for its AS5 and AS7 satellites until March next year, while its other satellites—AS6, AS8, and AS9—have been denied permission.
According to officials, broadcasters such as JioStar and Zee, along with teleport operators, are transitioning from AsiaSat’s platforms to domestic and allied networks like India’s GSAT series and Intelsat satellites to ensure uninterrupted operations. Zee confirmed that it had already shifted to GSAT-30, GSAT-17, and Intelsat-20 by mid-September 2025.
Several global satellite providers—including Intelsat, Starlink, OneWeb, IPStar, OrbitConnect, and Inmarsat—continue to hold authorizations to serve Indian clients. Meanwhile, India’s GSAT network is expanding its capacity to reduce reliance on foreign satellites and support long-term domestic growth in space communications.
AsiaSat’s Indian partner, Inorbit Space, said it has repeatedly met with IN-SPACe officials to seek extensions for AsiaSat 5 and 7 but has not received a clear explanation for the rejections. “AsiaSat has operated in India for 33 years without compliance issues. All previous approvals were cleared by relevant ministries,” said Rajdeepsinh Gohil, Managing Director of Inorbit Space.
Under India’s updated space policy, all foreign satellite operators must now secure IN-SPACe authorization before offering services in the country. The change aligns with India’s broader strategy to enhance control over its space assets and develop indigenous capabilities.
The Indian space economy is projected to reach $44 billion by 2033, expanding its global market share from 2% to 8%. Communications and broadcasting are expected to be key growth drivers, with major players like Starlink, OneWeb, Amazon’s Kuiper, and the Jio-SES venture awaiting final approval to launch broadband services in India.
