Hyderabad-based Ananth Technologies is set to become the first private Indian company to offer satellite-based broadband services, marking a major milestone in the country’s growing space and telecom sectors. With regulatory approval from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), the company aims to roll out services by 2028, directly competing with global players like Starlink (SpaceX), OneWeb, and Amazon’s Project Kuiper.
The initiative involves a ₹3,000 crore investment to launch a 4-tonne geostationary communication satellite into orbit, positioned over 35,000 km above the Earth. This GEO (Geostationary Earth Orbit) satellite will provide up to 100 Gbps of data capacity, serving broadband users across India.
Unlike global competitors that deploy LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellites—ranging from 400 to 2,000 km altitude and known for low latency—Ananth’s GEO satellite offers the advantage of broad territorial coverage. While latency is higher with GEO systems, a single satellite can cover the entire Indian subcontinent, avoiding the need for large constellations of satellites like those required for LEO-based services.
This development signifies a transformative shift in India’s space sector, previously dominated by ISRO, and highlights the increasing role of private enterprises. It also aligns with IN-SPACe’s broader mission to commercialize space and support indigenous innovation in the satcom industry.
India now has over 100 active space-tech startups, most of which have emerged in the past five years, supported by growing investor interest and government backing. Ananth’s entry into broadband-from-space reflects the country’s ambition to become a global satcom hub, while offering a domestic alternative to foreign services.
With its 2028 launch timeline, Ananth Technologies could help bridge India’s digital divide, particularly in rural and underserved areas, using high-capacity, space-based connectivity.
