MAINS Current Affairs includes Regulation of Satellite Internet in India & Climate-Resilient Water Governance: From India to Global South

Governance / Science and Technology

1. Regulation of Satellite Internet in India

Context: The proposed entry of Starlink into India has brought attention to the challenges of regulating satellite-based internet services, particularly the need to balance digital connectivity and fair competition.

What Is Starlink?

• Starlink is a satellite internet service developed by SpaceX, designed to provide high-speed, low-latency broadband access globally, particularly in underserved and remote areas.
• It utilises a constellation of over 10,000 satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) to deliver internet services, where traditional infrastructure is limited or unavailable.
  • Currently it is licensed in over 165 countries.

How Does Satellite Internet Work?

• LEO satellites: These orbits are close to the Earth and transfer internet data between users and the wider communications network.
• User terminals: Dedicated antennas are deployed at the user’s location to communicate with the satellites and give Internet access.
• Ground gateways: These are the stations that connect satellite networks to the terrestrial internet infrastructure, while some systems also make use of inter-satellite links.

Regulatory Frameworks Apply to Starlink in India

• Indian Telegraph Act, 1885: Starlink needs to obtain a Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) licence from the Department of Telecommunications, as required under Section 4 of the Indian Telegraph Act, which gives the government exclusive control over communication services.
  • Section 7 further authorises the government to frame rules governing such licences.
• The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997 established the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), which plays an advisory and regulatory role.
  • Section 11 outlines TRAI’s functions, including making recommendations on licensing terms, spectrum management, and ensuring fair competition.
• The Telecommunications Act, 2023, governs the allocation of satellite spectrum.
  • While it permits administrative allocation, it also requires Starlink to adhere to the security and pricing norms it outlines.
  • Starlink’s use of Ku- and Ka-band frequencies is subject to the telecom department’s spectrum regulations, which are aligned with International Telecommunication Union standards to prevent interference with other services.
• The Satellite Communications Policy, 2000 and the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) require Starlink to coordinate satellite operations and orbital slot use to avoid conflicts with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) assets and align with national space priorities.
• The Information Technology Act, 2000 and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 impose obligations related to encryption, data storage, and cybersecurity.
• National security concerns require Starlink to comply with directives from the Ministry of Home Affairs and intelligence agencies, which may include requirements such as real-time signal tracking and user verification.

Why hasn’t Starlink entered India yet?

• The VSAT licensing under the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, is a rigorous process with detailed technical and financial scrutiny by the telecom department that often requires inter-ministerial cooperation.
• The Telecommunications Act, 2023 does provide for administrative distribution of satellite spectrum but the pricing and conditions, especially for Ku and Ka bands, are still being discussed between the government and the TRAI.
• A thorough security clearance process led by the Home Ministry and intelligence agencies is underway, complicated by concerns about foreign ownership and potential misuse.
  • These agencies require extensive assurances on data protection and lawful usage before giving the green light.
• Coordination with Indian space infrastructure under IN-SPACe and compliance with the Satellite Communications Policy, 2000, add further procedural requirements.

Advantages of Starlink for India

• Rural Connectivity: It provides high-speed internet to places where standard fibre-optics or mobile towers are not feasible.
• Economic Empowerment: It can boost rural education, e-health, agri-tech and e-commerce ecosystems.
• Strategic Value: It would strengthen disaster communication, military connectivity and infrastructure in the border areas.
• Digital Inclusion: It is in sync with the ideals of Digital India and BharatNet, which promise equitable access.

Concerns Raised over the Starlink Entry

• Starlink is expected to launch its satellite internet service in India at a premium price due to its high capital expenditure and regulatory obligations.
• The hardware required to access Starlink’s services, including the satellite dish (user terminal), router, and related equipment, is also expected to be expensive for most rural households.
• The service is likely to initially target institutions, remote businesses, and high-net-worth individuals in underserved regions, rather than the rural populations it eventually aims to serve.
• There are concerns of devices being exploited for unlawful activities that have alarmed authorities.

Concluding remarks

• Satellite internet is not merely about connecting places but also about connecting people to opportunities.
• Starlink’s entry into India could help bridge the digital divide by extending connectivity to underserved regions, provided technological progress goes hand in hand with affordability, accessibility and national security.

Governance / Environment

2. Climate-Resilient Water Governance: From India to Global South

Context: Recently, New Delhi hosted the 9th India International Water Week (IIWW) around climate-resilient water management, highlighting India’s transition from expanding access to ensuring sustainable, efficient and resilient water systems.

India International Water Week (IIWW)

• Organised by: Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India.
• Objective: To bring together governments, policymakers, researchers, water experts, industry, civil society and international organisations to discuss emerging water challenges and solutions.
• Focus areas: Water security, climate change, river management, groundwater, irrigation, sanitation, wastewater management, water-use efficiency and community participation.
• International dimension: Provides a platform for knowledge exchange and international cooperation, particularly on solutions relevant to developing countries and the Global South.
• Theme For 9th IIWW: Climate-resilient Water Management

About Water Governance

• Water governance refers to the political, institutional, administrative and participatory arrangements through which water resources and water services are planned, allocated, regulated and managed.
• It goes beyond building dams, canals and pipelines. Effective governance integrates water availability, quality, demand management, groundwater, sanitation, wastewater reuse, climate risks and community participation.
• For India, it is particularly important because water is a State subject, while several dimensionse. rivers, groundwater, agriculture, urbanisation and climate change cut across administrative boundaries.

Need for Water Governance in the Present Scenario

• India faces a complex water-security challenge:
  • Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of floods, droughts, heatwaves and erratic rainfall.
  • Rapid urbanisation and industrialisation are increasing demand for water.
  • Groundwater depletion threatens agricultural and drinking-water security in several regions.
  • Water pollution and inadequate wastewater treatment reduce the usable water stock.
  • Agriculture remains the largest consumer of freshwater, making water-use efficiency
• Globally, the world is off track on SDG 6e. safe drinking water and sanitation for all by 2030 and an estimated additional $500 billion annually is required to bridge the investment gap.
• Thus, water security is increasingly a governance and institutional challenge, not merely an engineering challenge.

India’s Journey of Water Governance

• India’s recent water governance journey has combined political prioritisation, public finance, institutional reform and community participation.
• The experience of Gujarat during 2001–2014 provided an important policy laboratory, with emphasis on water infrastructure, decentralised planning and stakeholder engagement.
• Several approaches subsequently informed national initiatives.

Major National Interventions

• Swachh Bharat Mission: It linked sanitation with public health and water quality.
• Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM): It seeks functional tap-water connections and sustainable rural drinking-water services.
• Namami Gange: It adopts a river-basin-oriented approach combining pollution abatement, ecological restoration and institutional coordination.
• Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABY): It promotes community-led groundwater management in water-stressed areas.
• Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain: It promotes rainwater harvesting and water conservation.
• Per Drop More Crop (PDMC): It encourages micro-irrigation and greater agricultural water-use efficiency.
• The broader governance framework can be understood through the ‘4 Ps’ ie Political leadership → Public financing → Partnerships → People’s participation.
  • It seeks to connect Union, State and local governments with communities, civil society, knowledge institutions and development partners.

Lessons for Climate-Resilient Water Management

• Lead With Governance: Pipelines and treatment plants cannot ensure water security unless institutions can operate and maintain them.
  • Long-term political commitment, predictable financing, data systems and institutional capacity are therefore essential.
• Managing Resource & Service Together: A tap is useful only when water is available, safe and reliably supplied. Future planning needs to integrate source sustainability with service delivery.
  • It is especially important for rapidly urbanising regions of the Global South. Planning water resources and infrastructure together can reduce the cost of future retrofitting.
• Treating Wastewater as a Resource: India needs to move from a ‘use-and-dispose’ model towards a circular water economy.
  • Treated wastewater can serve non-potable requirements such as industry, landscaping and certain municipal uses.
  • The case study estimates that the annual market revenue from treated used water in India could reach around ₹73,000 crore by 2047, at current prices.
• Root Water Action in Communities: Institutions such as Pani Samitis, village water-security planning and participatory groundwater management demonstrate that local ownership can improve sustainability.
  • The Gujarat experience of Chintan Shivirs illustrates how structured stakeholder consultations can translate political priorities into implementable policies.
• Think Big & Build For Scale: India’s experience with JJM demonstrates the possibility of implementing large-scale public programmes through political leadership, financing, institutional mechanisms and decentralised implementation.
  • For the Global South, the lesson is not to replicate Indian schemes mechanically, but to adapt the governance principles to local ecological, institutional and socio-economic conditions.

Way Forward: India’s Next Phase of Water Policy

• India’s next water-policy phase should focus on:
  • From access to assured service delivery — quality, quantity, regularity and affordability.
  • Water budgeting and demand management, especially in agriculture.
  • Groundwater governance based on aquifer-level data and community participation.
  • Climate-resilient urban water systems, including rainwater harvesting, flood management and wastewater reuse.
  • Integrated river-basin management rather than fragmented administrative planning.
  • Greater use of remote sensing, real-time monitoring, AI and hydro-meteorological data for forecasting and allocation.
  • Stronger water-quality monitoring and enforcement of pollution norms.
  • Innovative financing involving public expenditure, private investment and multilateral development institutions.

Conclusion

• India’s water journey demonstrates that water security requires the convergence of infrastructure, institutions, finance, technology and community ownership.
• As climate change intensifies water-related risks, the next generation of reforms must move from merely providing water to ensuring resilient, efficient, equitable and circular water systems.
• India can thereby offer the Global South a governance framework that is adaptable rather than prescriptive.

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