Govt mandates legal interception of satcom services, bars data routing outside country
New Delhi: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on Monday rolled out a comprehensive set of security regulations for satellite communication (satcom) services in India, requiring strict compliance with lawful interception protocols and barring data transfer or connection to any terminal located outside Indian borders.
The guidelines, which come ahead of the commercial rollout of satcom services in the country, require service providers to obtain security clearances for each gateway and hub location within India. They also prohibit the use of foreign facilities for processing or storing Indian users’ data.
In a directive to license holders, the DoT stated, “Monitoring and lawful interception shall be provided as per the licensing conditions at the gateway, point of presence, network control and monitoring centre, or any equivalent facility.” The guidelines also require that systems be integrated with India’s Centralised Monitoring System (CMS) or Integrated Monitoring System (IMS).
The directive comes at a time when major industry players such as Starlink (backed by Elon Musk), OneWeb (supported by Bharti Group), and Jio Satellite Communications are preparing to enter the Indian market. The satcom industry is expected to play a vital role in expanding internet access to remote areas and improving nationwide connectivity.
Under the new rules, satcom providers must indigenise at least 20 per cent of their ground infrastructure within the first few years of launching operations. The companies are also obligated to demonstrate the full security capabilities of their systems — including interception and monitoring mechanisms — to the DoT or its designated officials before commencing services.
A key requirement involves the demarcation of special monitoring zones within 50 kilometers of India’s international borders and coastal regions, including the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). These zones will enable law enforcement and intelligence agencies to monitor user activity in sensitive areas.
A government official involved in drafting the policy said on condition of anonymity, “This framework ensures national security while enabling innovation in the satellite communications space.”
The regulations also stipulate that the physical location and sensitive data of users — including the coordinates of user terminals and satellite phones — must remain inaccessible to entities outside the country. Service providers will also be required to block access to websites that are restricted under Indian law.
“No user terminal shall be able to access the network from outside the geo-fenced coverage area or through a gateway situated outside India,” the rules specify. Additionally, devices registered within India will not be permitted to connect to foreign gateways.
Service providers must also submit written undertakings affirming that Indian telecom data will not be copied, decrypted, or processed outside national borders. Real-time monitoring must be implemented to ensure that user traffic originating from or destined for India is not routed through any foreign gateway or network system not part of the approved satellite constellation.
Licences have already been issued to Jio Satellite Communications and Eutelsat OneWeb. Starlink is awaiting final approval. Operations are expected to begin once spectrum allocation is completed.
The new norms align with recommendations currently being finalised by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), which has been working on a regulatory framework for the growing satellite internet segment.
with agency inputs
