India’s space regulator, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), has refused authorisation for communications satellites managed by China-linked entities, including ChinaSat, ApStar, and Hong Kong-based AsiaSat.

The decision, announced under heightened national security considerations, marks a strategic shift to reduce reliance on Chinese-owned infrastructure and enhance domestic control over data transmission channels used in broadcasting and teleport networks.

The directive mandates that all Indian broadcasters and teleport operators currently leasing satellite capacity from AsiaSat’s AS-5 and AS-7 must migrate their services to approved satellites—primarily India’s GSAT series or other authorised international options—no later than 31 March 2026.

IN-SPACe’s order explicitly states that after this date, any use or commercial provisioning of these disallowed satellites for Indian communication services will be illegal.

Key Details

Security Rationale: The directive is a security-driven transition aimed at reducing India's dependence on foreign-controlled, particularly Chinese-owned, satellite infrastructure and bolstering data security and digital sovereignty. AsiaSat is partly owned by the Chinese state-owned CITIC Group Corporation.

Affected Satellites: Authorisation for AsiaSat's AS-5 and AS-7 satellites will be discontinued after March 31, 2026. Applications for other AsiaSat assets (AS-6, AS-8, and AS-9) were also rejected.

Affected Operators: Major Indian broadcasters, including JioStar and Zee Entertainment, who currently rely on the affected AsiaSat satellites, have been directed to migrate their services.

Migration Progress: To avoid service disruptions, companies like Zee have already started the process of shifting their operations to approved satellites like ISRO's GSAT-30/17 series and US-based Intelsat-20 and other Intelsat satellites (IS-17, IS-20, IS-36, and IS-39), which have received IN-SPACe authorization.

Regulatory Framework: Under the new guidelines, all non-Indian satellites providing capacity in India require fresh authorisation from IN-SPACe via an Indian entity. From April 1, 2026, the capacity of the disallowed satellites cannot be provisioned or sold in India for communication services. This move also aims to promote the domestic space sector and the use of Indian-owned satellites.

This landmark policy move stems from the government’s growing emphasis on safeguarding digital sovereignty and strengthening indigenous capabilities across the space communications sector.

IN-SPACe’s updated regulations now require that any non-Indian satellite operator offering capacity within Indian territory must obtain fresh authorisation exclusively through an Indian-registered entity.

The new rules, effective from 1 April 2026, are designed to ensure all satellite communication services operating in India remain compliant with national security protocols and transparent data governance frameworks.

Beyond addressing immediate security risks, the directive aligns with India’s broader strategy to expand domestic satellite capacity and ensure uninterrupted services under full sovereign control.

It encourages local players and private space firms to leverage ISRO’s satellite infrastructure, reducing foreign dependency while empowering the Indian space industry under the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” vision.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)