Try GOLD - Free
Govt rejects Trai's proposal for satellite internet subsidy
Mint Hyderabad
|November 25, 2025
DoT says ₹1.7 tn digital infra commitments leave no room for remote area satcom sops
No subsidy means either users will have to bear the cost of satellite terminals, or the companies will have to absorb the costs.
The government has rejected the telecom regulator's proposal to subsidize satellite internet services in rural and remote areas because of little fiscal room, given the commitments for other digital infrastructure programmes, according to three officials aware of the matter.
The government's ₹1.73 trillion commitment to bridge the country’s digital divide—including the revamped BharatNet programme and 4G connectivity for villages—has left little room in the Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) fund, the officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Other reasons include the lack of a mechanism for direct benefit transfers (DBT) from the fund and potential overlap with existing initiatives already covered under DBN, such as the 4G saturation project and other targeted schemes aimed at expanding mobile connectivity in villages, they said.
This story is from the November 25, 2025 edition of Mint Hyderabad.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 10,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORE STORIES FROM Mint Hyderabad
Mint Hyderabad
The ‘orange economy’ offers a path to inclusive growth
A new term that entered the lexicon after India's budget for 2026-27 was the ‘orange economy.’
3 mins
March 04, 2026
Mint Hyderabad
An exponential phase of AI progress is finally upon us
About a month ago, I built my first app.
4 mins
March 04, 2026
Mint Hyderabad
A ‘FIGHT ABOUT VIBES’ DROVE THE PENTAGON’S BREAKUP WITH ANTHROPIC
The AI giant’s CEO Amodei and Defense Secretary Hegseth have contrasting personalities and worldviews. They proved difficult to reconcile
9 mins
March 04, 2026
Mint Hyderabad
Gas regulator preps new storage plan
government data, natural gas accounts for about 7% of India’s energy basket and the government aims to take it to 15% by 2030.
2 mins
March 04, 2026
Mint Hyderabad
Cargo agents seek relief as war grounds shipments at airports
India's air cargo agents have urged the government to step in and provide relief to exporters hit by flight disruptions caused by the escalating war between Iran and the US, which has led to widespread airspace closures across parts of West Asia.
1 mins
March 04, 2026
Mint Hyderabad
The case for upgrading your Bluetooth tracker
Apple's latest AirTag has better range and stronger alerts, while rivals offer alternatives for Android users
4 mins
March 04, 2026
Mint Hyderabad
Accenture wins Estée Lauder biz in $100 million dent for Wipro
Wipro Ltd faces an annual dent up to $100 million, as American cosmetics brand Estée Lauder has shifted the Bengaluru tech services company’s share of work in a half-billion dollar, five-year deal to Accenture Plc.
1 min
March 04, 2026
Mint Hyderabad
U.S. success against Iran could be a game changer for world oil security
Here are countless ways the U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran could go wrong.
3 mins
March 04, 2026
Mint Hyderabad
Focus on energy stockpile as OMCs eye new sources
PSU refiners have 25 days worth of oil stocks, and another 25 days of fuel stocks
2 mins
March 04, 2026
Mint Hyderabad
India notifies standards for cloud, data centre, ethical AI
The governance model is derived from internationally accepted ISO and IEC frameworks
2 mins
March 04, 2026
Listen
Translate
Change font size