MUMBAI: Direct-to-home (DTH) operators in India have found support from outside home. Saddled with high entertainment taxes and transponder space crunch, they have always complained that the Indian government has not incentivised this ‘sunrise‘ sector.
Now the US wants India to have a free policy on the leasing of satellite space to the DTH operator.
In a report, the US Trade Representative (USTR) has stated that it will "encourage" India to amend its policies which assigns exclusive rights to the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) for selling the satellite capacity to the DTH television market.
USTR has raised concerns over India not allowing foreign operators to participate in direct selling of satellite capacity to the DTH market, reported PTI.
The American report has also blamed India for "lack of transparency in the rules governing the provisions of satellite capacity".
It said foreign operators are needed 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.
The report stated that a similar situation prevails in China, adding that the USTR "will encourage these countries to consider changes to their respective frameworks".
On data encryption requirement for the telecom equipment, the US trade office would ask India to devise a policy which does not deviate from "commonly accepted or best practices".
The report said the US concerns are in the wake of apprehensions over India‘s stringent and burdensome encryption requirements.
"The USTR will continue to engage India to seek ways to ensure US telecommunication companies can effectively protect information, while also respecting security concerns of the Indian government," PTI quoted from the report.
