Satcom To Be Crucial In Providing Internet To Over 1 Bn People By 2025-26: Union Minister

The government is undertaking various collaborative measures to enhance underlying technologies like microelectronics, semiconductors and others to increase internet penetration in the country, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT said. 

He was speaking at the India Space Congress 2022 in New Delhi on Thursday. 

Minister said that Satellite Communications (Satcom) are key for delivering quality internet to the people and play an important role in enabling internet connectivity to 1.2 billion Indians by 2025-26.

He further said, “Internet is accelerating backed by the satellite is playing an important role  in achieving the trillion-dollar digital economy and ubiquitous, bandwidth and latency of the Internet is the core.”

Arvind Kumar, Director General at Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) said, “Satellite communication is key for disaster management and climate assessment data. Unhindered connectivity is required in emergencies and Satcom is the vital thread. STPI is incubating various startups who are working towards creating solutions for critical situations using Satcom.”

R. Umamaheswaran, Director of Human Space Flight Centre, ISRO said, “India is at the cusp of the space technology revolution and with recent reforms, the space industry has received an impetus for multi-fold growth.”

Umamaheswaran also said that the space industry opening after the reforms has seen increased participation by private players in the space industry. However, we need to keep in mind the growth of the electronics industry is key to the space industry's growth.

“As we are witnessing increased traffic in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), the industry needs to look at design and tech solutions that will not hinder the view and work of the astronomers. We are working on our first human flight to space by the end of 2024 or early 2025, for which astronauts are undergoing training in Bengaluru,” he added.