New Delhi

Government sources have said India welcomes every player in satellite communications and that the customer will ultimately decide whose service to choose.

"Customer is the king," an official said, adding that consumers will pick a provider based on price, value and the quality of what is offered.

Three companies currently hold satcom licences in India: Jio, OneWeb and Starlink. Sources said Starlink was the last of the three to apply and the last to receive its licence, but all three have been licensed. The application process, they said, has been "completely transparent."

All licensees have been asked to demonstrate their capabilities and meet security requirements. According to sources, OneWeb was first to submit its compliance documents, followed by Jio, with Starlink the last to do so.

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Officials said two steps remain before services can roll out at scale: a decision on spectrum allocation and pricing, and fulfilment of security requirements by all three players. Once both conditions are met, sources said, the ecosystem can benefit as a whole.