Jio has unveiled a proposed satellite connectivity network featuring around 1,600 low-Earth-orbit satellites and 23 ground stations across India, targeting locations where mobile towers and fibre networks are difficult to deploy. The company showcased the plan at India Mobile Congress 2026 in Delhi as part of its vision for connectivity beyond terrestrial infrastructure.
Called “Sovereign Satellite Connectivity”, the proposal is intended to keep control of the network’s value chain within India. According to the company’s presentation at the event, this would include design, engineering, integration, testing, launch, deployment and operations. The proposal remains at the planning stage, and the satellite constellation and ground stations have not yet been deployed.
The 23 ground stations would connect the proposed satellite network with India’s existing terrestrial infrastructure. Jio also plans to integrate space-based connectivity with its current mobile and fibre networks, creating a combined system rather than treating satellite services as a standalone network.
Jio’s display described a vision of full coverage across India’s landmass and maritime areas, potentially reaching more than 600,000 villages. Remote settlements, island territories and border outposts were identified as key focus areas. The company also listed enterprise connectivity, remote worksites, aviation, maritime services, government, defence and disaster response among the possible applications.
The plan addresses a persistent infrastructure challenge: extending reliable connectivity to places where conventional networks face difficult terrain, dispersed populations or high deployment costs. Towers and fibre remain the foundation of India’s communications infrastructure, but satellite links can provide a way to connect locations that are difficult to reach through continuous terrestrial construction. The extent to which the proposed system can complement existing networks will depend on its eventual design, deployment and integration.
Jio’s presentation also referred to direct-to-device calling for rural areas. Such a system could potentially allow compatible devices to connect through satellite infrastructure in locations without conventional network coverage, although the presentation did not establish a deployment timeline, service launch date or consumer availability for the proposed feature.
The satellite plan was presented under the theme “Scale Without Boundaries” at the 10th edition of India Mobile Congress. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated this year’s event on Thursday. The event’s theme reflects an emphasis on extending digital connectivity beyond traditional network boundaries, and Jio’s proposal places satellite infrastructure within that broader national technology agenda.
For now, the 1,600 satellites, 23 ground stations and stated coverage targets are proposed components rather than operational assets. The next milestones will be the company’s formal development, regulatory and deployment decisions, along with details on the satellite network’s implementation and its integration with Jio’s existing terrestrial systems.
