The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has significantly tightened security norms for satellite communication (satcom) services under the Global Mobile Personal Communications by Satellite Services (GMPCS) permit, imposing a comprehensive set of over 20 security conditions for existing and aspiring players in the Indian market, according to a PTI report.
The revised norms apply to current license holders such as Eutelsat OneWeb and the Jio-SES combine, as well as new entrants like Starlink and Amazon’s Kuiper. The updated framework aims to address national security concerns in light of geopolitical tensions and the rapid advancement of satellite technology, including inter-satellite communication and mobile user terminals.
Data Localisation and DNS Resolutions
Under the new rules, companies must ensure that data centres and points of presence (PoPs) are located within Indian territory. Additionally, all domain name system (DNS) resolutions related to satellite services must take place within India. Satcom providers are also required to submit an undertaking that no Indian telecom data will be copied or decrypted outside the country.
Monitoring, Interception
“The Monitoring and Lawful Interception shall be provided as per the licensing condition(s) at the gateway/point of presence (PoP)/network control and monitoring centre (NCMC) /any equivalent facility. The LIS/LIM system shall be integrated with a centralised monitoring system (CMS)/integrated monitoring system (IMS),” the guidelines said, according to reports.
Push for Indigenous Manufacturing
In a move to promote domestic manufacturing, the DoT mandates that licensees submit a phased indigenisation plan, with a target of achieving 20 percent local manufacturing of ground equipment within five years of commencing commercial operations.
For services offering mobility, the license conditions now require user terminals to report their location every 2.6 kilometres or every one minute, whichever is less. The systems must also have the capability to suspend services if a terminal moves into a restricted area. This marks a shift from earlier norms which only permitted fixed-location user terminals.
Mandatory NavIC Integration
The regulations further mandate integration with India’s indigenous NavIC satellite navigation system. Satcom providers must also ensure that any websites blocked within India are similarly blocked through their satellite networks. The network infrastructure must prevent user terminals registered in India from connecting through gateways located outside Indian territory.
Border Surveillance
Moreover, satcom service providers must create a 50-kilometre special monitoring zone along India’s international borders, aimed at strengthening surveillance and preventing misuse. The rules also strictly prohibit any location spoofing, and stipulate that sensitive user data must remain inaccessible from locations outside India.
The norms mandate service providers to ensure that the location of its user terminals or satellite phones or any other sensitive information pertaining to the user should not be visible or accessible at any location abroad.
Traffic Routing
“The licensee shall provide real-time monitoring to ensure that no user traffic originating from, or destined for India is being routed through any gateway/ PoPs outside Indian territory. The Indian user traffic shall not be routed through any Gateway/PoP located abroad or any space system, which is not part of satellite/constellation used for providing service,” the rule said, as per the report.
Providers Required to Fully Align with New Guidelines
Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia previously clarified that all companies, including Starlink, must fully comply with these security requirements to obtain a license. Previous reports indicate that Starlink has already agreed to the majority of these conditions, potentially paving the way for its commercial launch in the country.
There are now more than 20 specific security conditions that all companies offering satcom services in India must comply with.
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