US seeks changes in India’s DTH satellite policy

Washington: The US has said it will “encourage” India to change its policies which give exclusive rights to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for selling the satellite capacity to the lucrative direct-to-home television market.
In a report, the US Trade Representative (USTR) raised concerns over India not allowing foreign operators to participate in direct selling of satellite capacity to direct-to-home (DTH) market.
It also blamed India for “lack of transparency in the rules governing the provisions of satellite capacity”.
It said foreign operators are required to first sell the capacity to India’s domestic satellite operator, the ISRO, which resells the same to the DTH customers and maintains ownership of the customers.
A similar situation prevails in China, the report noted adding that the USTR “will encourage these countries to consider changes to their respective frameworks”.