Lt Gen AK Bhatt, the Director General of the Indian Space Association (ISpA), underlines the objective of his organization as he suggested ways to enable India’s untapped Satcom market at the Convergence India Expo, 2025. In his keynote address for the session, he highlights the need for India to look beyond terrestrial networks to bridge the digital divide existing in the nation today. He goes on to speak about the potential of satcom technology in bringing India’s digital ambitions to life. 

He further underlines the average loss caused by the unavailability of Satcom in South Asian countries, amounting to around 1.5–2 percent of the GDP. Underlining India’s scenario, he says, “ 400 million Indian citizens don’t have access to a reliable internet connection,” raising concerns over the limitations of terrestrial networks. He says, “ I am looking for Elon Musk in India with deep passion and deep pockets,” when asked about the goal of ISpA.

An Untapped Opportunity 

As per Gen. AK Bhatt, India’s Satcom story is not just about bridging the digital divide or the social gap. It's more about enabling unutilized and untapped resources to bring life into the largest untapped market, deriving multifold figures in national revenue and GDP. This hints at the business potential that can be availed owing to India’s economic prowess and telecom capacity.
This would also enable the Indian innovators and people to bend it into their ways of deriving indigenous innovations.

India’s Space Sector 

As per Gen. AK Bhatt, India’s space policy has become more democratic than before. Today, government policies allow Indians to even construct homes on the moon or enable asteroid mining. This indicates the changing landscape of the Indian space sector. It is gradually opening the doors for innovators and small businesses to effectively utilize the nation’s orbital resources. 

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Satellite Prowess

Highlighting the prowess of satellite infrastructure and its enormous coverage range, Gen Bhatt says, “ A single satellite in the geostationary orbit of the Earth can cover about ⅓ of the Earth’s network connectivity requirement. The vastness and strength of this technology make it indispensable for countries like India, which aim for better network connectivity through a reliable network source.

Safest Option in Emergency Situations 

In case of a natural disaster or other emergencies, telecom base stations are the first to be affected, disabling network connectivity in the affected area. In such a scenario, Satcom is the best alternative, enabling reliable and seamless network connectivity across the region, Gen. Bhatt suggests. 

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Other than this, this would be highly helpful in remote healthcare & remote education initiatives, leading India to a better situation in its efforts to digitize education, healthcare, governance, and other sectors. Conclusively, this has become an unavoidable thing for India today to act upon. 

Convergence India Expo, 2025 

The 32nd Convergence India Expo, co-located with the Mobile India Expo held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, emerged as a pivotal platform for shaping India's tech-driven future. Convergence India facilitated over 45 conference sessions, bringing together industry leaders, innovators, and ministry representatives to discuss emerging technologies and market trends.