The Hindu: Published on 13th August 2025.
Why in News?
Elon Musk’s Starlink is about to debut in India, signalling a major transformation in the nation’s internet infrastructure.
Satellite internet is emerging as a critical technology for bridging the digital divide, ensuring connectivity in remote areas, and strengthening both civilian and military capabilities.
Background:
Traditional ground-based internet networks rely on cables and towers, which are cost-effective in densely populated urban areas but economically unviable in sparsely populated regions.
They are vulnerable to natural disasters (floods, earthquakes) and struggle to meet mobile/remote connectivity needs.
Satellite internet, deployed in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), and Geostationary Orbit (GEO), offers global coverage independent of terrestrial infrastructure.
Key Features of Satellite Internet:
- Dual-use nature – applicable in civil and military domains.
- Global coverage – unaffected by terrain, deployable anywhere.
Resilience in crises – proven utility during disasters and wars (e.g., Hurricane Harvey, Russia-Ukraine war, Siachen deployment).
Rapid deployment – suitable for mobile units, temporary sites, offshore platforms.
Mega-constellations – thousands of small, low-latency satellites (e.g., Starlink's 7,000+ LEO satellites, target 42,000).
How It Works:
Two segments-
- Space segment: Satellites in orbit carrying communication payloads.
- Ground segment: Terminals and ground stations communicating with satellites.
Orbits & Characteristics:
GEO (35,786 km): Large coverage, high latency (~600 ms), unsuitable for real-time apps.
MEO (2,000–35,786 km): Lower latency than GEO, still needs constellations.
LEO (<2,000 km): Very low latency (~20–40 ms), smaller coverage, requires mega-constellations.
Inter-satellite optical links enable direct satellite-to-satellite communication, reducing ground station dependency.
Applications:
Civilian: Rural internet access, telemedicine, precision agriculture, environmental monitoring, tourism.
Military: Secure communications, troop coordination, drone operations, remote base connectivity.
Disaster management: Rapid deployment for rescue coordination and emergency connectivity.
Transportation: Navigation, logistics, autonomous vehicle support.
Public administration: Smart city services, early-warning systems.
Economic & Strategic Considerations:
Cost: Terminals ~$500, monthly fees ~$50; higher than terrestrial broadband but crucial for remote/critical users.
Strategic asset: Control over satellite internet is emerging as a new dimension of geopolitical power.
Security risk: Borderless nature can enable illicit use (e.g., insurgents smuggling Starlink devices in India).
Challenges:
Regulatory: International spectrum allocation, cross-border data flow rules.
Security: Preventing misuse by hostile entities.
Economic viability: High infrastructure investment, terminal costs.
Technical: Maintaining seamless satellite handovers, avoiding space debris from mega-constellations.
Impact:
For India-
- Could bridge the digital divide in rural/remote areas.
- Enhance military readiness and disaster resilience.
- Stimulate sectors like agriculture, healthcare, logistics.
Globally-
- Intensifies tech race among nations.
- Raises space governance and cybersecurity concerns.
- May redefine internet accessibility as a basic global utility.
Way Forward:
Policy integration: Include satellite internet in national infrastructure & resilience plans.
Domestic capability: Encourage Indian private & public sector participation in satellite internet technology.
International engagement: Actively shape global norms for mega-constellation regulation.
Security frameworks: Develop monitoring systems to prevent misuse while ensuring lawful access.
