Successfully commissioning of GSAT-24 unlocks one more step towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat: I&B Secretary Sh. Apurva Chandra

NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) has collaborated with Tata Play and launched GSAT-24 satellite in June 2022, aligned to ‘Make in India’ vision of the Government of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. Tata Play commenced the use of this satellite, now in its orbital position, starting today.

The inauguration ceremony was held at Tata Play’s Broadcast Centre in New Delhi. On the occasion, Information & Broadcasting Secretary Shri Apurva Chandra expressed his happiness and said, “Congratulations to Department of Space (DoS) and Tata Play for successfully commissioning GSAT-24. This event unlocks one more step towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat and self-reliance in the field of space and communication.”

“Currently Tata Play has 600 channels. With the inclusion of ISRO satellite, it would be able to transmit 900 channels benefitting the general public. It is the culmination of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of privatisation and establishment of NSIL, which for the first time launched a demand based satellite in collaboration with Tata Play. These channels would now be available all across the country, including the hilly North-East and Andaman & Nicobar islands,” the Secretary added.

The increased bandwidth, after inclusion of GSAT-24, will enable Tata Play to provide its users with an even sharper picture and sound quality, and an ability to carry 50 per cent more channels while becoming the largest satellite bandwidth provider among all DTH platforms.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman Shri S. Somanath said, “GSAT-24, a 4-tonne class communication satellite built by ISRO for providing DTH services, is fully operational at its maximum satellite capacity, following exhaustive in-orbit testing. This momentous achievement signifies a revolution in India’s telecommunications space, driven by cutting-edge indigenous technology. It serves as a tribute to our nation’s aerospace prowess and heralds India’s successful entry into the Demand Driven Mission segment.”

Chairman and Managing Director NSIL Shri Radhakrishnan Durairaj added saying, “GSAT-24 has been the first Demand Driven communication satellite mission undertaken by NSIL post space sector reforms. The GSAT-24 satellite is ready to usher in a new era of satellite television for India. As a testament to the success of the ‘Make In India’ initiative, this satellite would support domestic broadcasting services with advanced digital TV transmission capabilities. Congratulations to the teams of NSIL, ISRO and Tata Play who have collaborated on this successful project. “

Commenting on the momentous occasion, Tata Play’s MD & CEO Shri Harit Nagpal said, “Viewing experience has been Tata Play’s key priority. This collaboration with NSIL will provide our DTH subscribers with an even better video and audio quality and many more channels and services. It also strengthens our commitment to Linear TV in a country where approximately ~140 Mn homes are yet to buy their first TV. We have always delivered all our services on indigenously produced satellites by DOS and this capacity enhancement is a reaffirmation of our commitment to Make in India.”

The GSAT-24 is a 24-Ku band communication satellite launched by the Government of India only to cater to the requirement of Tata Play’s DTH application needs. The NSIL, incorporated in March 2019, is a Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the Department of Space (DOS) and is the commercial arm of DOS. The entire satellite capacity on-board GSAT-24 is leased to its committed customer Tata Play.