India has issued a stringent set of national security guidelines for satellite communication service providers, mandating domestic infrastructure, tighter monitoring of user terminals and strict controls
on data routing to safeguard communications within the country’s borders.
According to top government sources who spoke to CNN-News18, the Ministry of Communications’ Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has laid down comprehensive security requirements for all Unified Licensees providing Global Mobile Personal Communications by Satellite (GMPCS) services in India. The guidelines are not specific to Starlink but apply to all operators offering such services under the relevant licence framework.
A key provision requires critical network infrastructure, including Network Control and Monitoring Centres (NCMC), satellite gateways, Points of Presence (PoPs) and user data routing controls, to be physically located within India. The move is aimed at keeping essential network management functions under Indian jurisdiction and reducing the risk of unauthorised offshore access.
Satellite communication providers must also integrate their Lawful Interception Systems (LIS/LIM) with government monitoring platforms, including the Centralised Monitoring System (CMS) and Integrated Monitoring System (IMS). Operators will be required to demonstrate their interception and monitoring capabilities to the licensor before commencing commercial services, ensuring that authorised security agencies can access communications in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
The guidelines impose geographical restrictions on satellite connectivity as well. User terminals will not be permitted to access the network from outside designated geo-fenced boundaries. Indian-registered terminals will also be barred from connecting to gateways located outside Indian territory. All user traffic must pass through Indian gateways, with direct terminal-to-terminal satellite communication and routing that bypasses domestic gateways prohibited under the specified requirements.
The rules also seek to strengthen the traceability of satellite communications. Providers must maintain detailed Call Detail Records (CDRs) and Internet Protocol Detail Records (IPDRs), capturing information such as precise latitude and longitude, device identifiers, IMEI numbers, mobile subscriber numbers (MSISDNs), and public and private IP addresses. The data localisation requirements are intended to keep sensitive network records within India’s regulatory jurisdiction.
For terminals used while in motion, operators must report location changes frequently — after every 2.6 km of movement or every minute, as specified in the guidelines. The use of hardware or software designed to spoof terminal locations is prohibited, helping authorities verify where satellite connections are being used.
The government has also introduced a domestic manufacturing requirement. Licensees must submit a phased, year-wise manufacturing programme aimed at achieving at least 20 per cent indigenisation of ground-segment equipment within five years of launching commercial operations.
The measures come as satellite-based broadband gains importance in India’s connectivity landscape, particularly for remote and underserved regions. However, such services also raise regulatory concerns over jurisdiction, lawful interception, cross-border data flows and the security of communications infrastructure.
The new requirements underline the government’s approach of allowing satellite connectivity to expand while ensuring that operators remain subject to India’s security, surveillance and localisation framework. For providers seeking to operate in the country, compliance with these conditions will be a key prerequisite for commercial deployment.
