“India’s dynamic economy, skilled workforce, and rapidly growing tech sector make it an ideal location to strengthen SES’s global operations. We believe Indian talent will play a key role in scaling our business and shaping our future. We’re excited to be part of this vibrant community and look forward to many successful years ahead,” said SES CEO .
Amidst negotiations with shareholders that forced the Luxembourg-based company to amend its statutes, and a , Al-Saleh officially cut the ribbon on SES’s new Chennai office in April 2025.
The SES-Jio joint venture, Orbitconnect, already holds the required licenses. By combining geostationary satellites (SES-12) and the medium-earth orbit constellation O3B Mpower, SES targets ultra-high throughput (up to 100Gbps) for enterprises, government services, and 4G/5G backhaul. India’s regulatory framework is now more defined: GMPCS licenses, IN-SPACe authorisation, local gateways and strict security compliance. The government seeks to avoid uncontrolled foreign dependency while fostering innovation. To date, only Oneweb and Jio-SES have received full regulatory approval.
The stakes are enormous: connecting hundreds of millions in rural areas, reinforcing network resilience, and building a domestic space industry. The market could be worth several billion dollars--if offerings are adapted to Indian realities. Starlink is reportedly exploring pricing as low as $15/month, but to win over users, antenna prices must drop as well, or shared-access models must be introduced.
For over two decades, SES has partnered with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)--the country’s national space agency--and local players to provide satellite TV and data connectivity across the country, including for e-banking, telemedicine and e-governance. The opening of the Chennai office underlines India’s strategic importance as a key space economy hub, aligning with the prime minister’s vision and acting as a vital talent pool in this sector, the company said in a press release.
The move had previously raised concerns among SES labor unions, who feared jobs in Luxembourg would be relocated to India. But it’s part of a dynamic and fast-changing market where major announcements are becoming the norm. A quick recap?
Starlink: redemption after a rocky start
Launched with fanfare in 2021, Starlink’s rollout in India was abruptly halted by authorities due to pre-sales without a licence. Since then, the project has evolved. In March 2025, Starlink stunned the market by signing two strategic deals with telecom heavyweights Reliance Jio--SES’s partner--and Bharti Airtel. These agreements, still pending final licensing, could open the door to direct commercial entry into India.
The government made a decisive move at the end of 2023: no spectrum auctions, opting instead for administrative allocation--reassuring satellite operators wary of competition from traditional telcos. In return, New Delhi demands that Starlink establish local infrastructure, including a control centre and terrestrial gateways, and comply with interception and emergency shutdown regulations. After meeting with prime minister Narendra Modi, Elon Musk pledged to meet those requirements.
Oneweb: local roots, global momentum
Following its merger with Eutelsat, Oneweb gained an early lead in India, thanks to shareholder Bharti Global. It secured its GMPCS license in 2022 and partnered with Hughes Communications India. Its constellation is now fully deployed, and commercial B2B services are expected to launch soon.
Oneweb is targeting enterprises, the public sector, and mobile backhaul. Its partnership with Airtel provides deep commercial reach, and its first clients could include rural base stations and e-governance hubs.
Amazon Kuiper and the others: waiting in the wings
but still awaits regulatory clearance in India. Amazon has announced plans to establish a local subsidiary, but no major local partnerships have been signed yet.
Other players such as Globalstar, Intelsat and Telesat are also preparing their market entry, each at different stages of development.
This article was originally published in .