Indian armed forces look to partner with satcom firms
The movement will open new business views for Satcom providers who have not yet started operations in the country. The Telecommunications Department (DOT) is expected to allocate spectrum in a short period of time.
The above-mentioned people said that in the last two years, special Satcom providers such as OneWeb and Jio-Ses, and multiple trials by the Indian army, Air Force and Navy.
Supported by Airtel’s parent company Bhart Enterprises, the trials made with oneweb, with a low -delayed, satellite -based network connection with multiple military class encryption. Jio-SES, the second Indian Satcom service provider with a license from DOT, said that two out of the two above mentioned above organized more than two defense sector cases.
The trials were carried out in November last year during the Indian-Vietnam joint military exercise and other cases during the Brahma operation in Myanmar in April. These people are to see how old satellite communication standards behind the essays can be overhauled for armed forces.
The move of the center would see the gradual replacement of the old, large very small diaphragm terminal (VSAT) receivers, which connected with the Indian Space Research Organization (Isro’s) geosynkron soil orbit (Geo) satellites. Such buyers are typically bulky and need special transportation and their connections are slow.
Oneweb and Jio-Ses offer portable Satcom terminals that are small enough to come to a backpack. In addition, using low soil orbit (Leo) satellites, they provide a faster network connection, which is critical for remote drones and other technology heavy defense equipment in remote areas.
India is also investigating other global players. One of the above-mentioned people, a high-level government official, said that a high-level government, with Starlink of Elon Musk, said how to offer a large satellite network for defense forces while maintaining the necessary security protocols and silos that technology needs.
In particular, Starlink has never established network passages and equipment to the country so far and has not yet made network trials and has not received security permission from the new Delhi.
DOT, Ministry of Defense, Airtel, Jio and Starlink sent to the e -mails did not receive response to the press time.
New Business Opportunity
“Defense, Maritime and Border Safety will be the main focus segments for corporate satellite communication providers in India, Shivaji Chatterjeee, General Manager and General Manager of Hughes Communications India, the partner of Bhatib, one of Bhati, who offers both Geo and Leo Satellite services.
“In these strategic sectors, many trials have already been made to evaluate the potential of some of our latest offers in these strategic sectors.” “Other upcoming Leo offers are considered to be promising for the rural broad band due to their comprehensive capacity of large satellite constellations.”
Indian Space Association (ISPA) Space Industry Organ General Manager Anil Kumar Bhatt, Satcom services for Indian Defense Forces so far, even in the distant land, even in the terrestrial and radio communication is used as a spare, he said.
“Now, the new age infrastructure and modernization of India’s defense forces need low -delayed Leo satellite networks to the best use of the latest technologies, and also support operations far beyond Indian borders, Bc he said.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a second senior official said that the government saw these Satcom services as a way to improve the connection in the country. “Even if there are cases of use for government and defense activities, these companies will be allowed to serve these sectors only after the national security norms are not endangered.” He said.
One of the above -mentioned authorities added that the investigated case includes the provision of small, durable and light user terminals that can be carried by the army personnel or can be installed on crew and unreleased vehicles.
A report in September 2023 India Times He said that India’s defense forces have tested the use of suitcase -based Satcom terminals as part of modernized defense class Satcom networks.
Global Think-Tank Observer Research Foundation Space Member Chaicania Giri said that Starlink’s “global geopolitical and the company that appeals to the nations that India may not be in the best conditions”, he said.
Although India acknowledges that Satcom should overcome and modernize Satcom in defense weapons, Giri said, “However, to do this, the geostationary satellites, which offer a large group of data width and concentrate on one area, can offer much more security and faster network connection for defense applications. Both would be included.
Bhatt, a retired military secretary and Lieutenant General of the Indian army, said that India’s defense forces should be domesticated to their own Leo satellite constellations or whether they need to get bandwidth from existing operators. “Based on this, they will take measures to make Satcom networks safer,” he said.
Globally, Satcom service renewal examples are increasing. In June, Eutelsat, Bharti’s Oneweb’s global holding company, signed a 10 -year agreement with France’s Ministry of Armed Forces. The agreement, which is worth € 1 billion, has tried to integrate military and civilian satellite resources to have secure space communication for Europe.
Eutelsat also has an agreement with the UK and globally wider government to provide high -speed, low -delay connection for the embassies, high commissions and consulates of the country.
