New Delhi: Viasat, a global satellite communications company, is strengthening its focus on in-flight connectivity (IFC) in India as the country’s aviation sector prepares for its next phase of growth.
Building on its global aviation expertise and India-based engineering capabilities, the company is participating as the corporate partner at WINGS INDIA 2026, Asia’s flagship civil aviation event, scheduled to be held from 28- 31 January at Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad.
Viasat received regulatory authorisation to provide in-flight connectivity services in India in 2020 and has since been offering connectivity solutions to commercial airlines, business jets and strategic platforms operated by the Government of India. The company has also established dedicated ground infrastructure in the country to support aviation connectivity operations.
“We have built four ground stations in India. One of them is for safety services and the second is for in-flight connectivity. On in-flight connectivity, we got authorisations in 2020 and since then, we are already giving connectivity to business jets and strategic platforms. Globally, Viasat is one of the leading providers of satellite connectivity for commercial aviation. We have been working in aviation for over a decade and today support more than 60 airlines worldwide,” said Gautam Sharma, Managing Director, Viasat India.
Sanjay Lala, Vice President – Business Development, Viasat, said, “We today support more than 60 airlines globally. We connect around 14,000 flights every day and support over 3 million flight hours each month. This is a large-scale global operation… While Viasat already provides connectivity on flights operating globally, discussions with Indian airlines are ongoing.”
Beyond aviation, Viasat’s engineering centres in Chennai and Hyderabad play a key role in managing global ground networks. Sharma noted, “We have already invested significantly in India… The gateways and ground systems are the heart of our connectivity and operate 24×7 with high availability. This is mission-critical and high-value engineering work.”
