Centre Notifies Dissolution of Digital Communications Commission After 37 Years

Key facts

• The Government of India has notified the dissolution of the Digital Communications Commission (DCC), an apex inter-departmental decision-making body at the Department of Telecom, via a notification dated September 19, 2026.
• Formed in 1989 as the Telecom Commission, the body was renamed the Digital Communications Commission in 2018.
• The DCC comprised senior officials from NITI Aayog, the Finance Ministry, the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion and other departments, and firmed up decisions on telecom matters, including spectrum pricing and TRAI recommendations, before they were sent to the Cabinet.
• The Commission held its last meeting on September 3, where it firmed up the decision on satcom spectrum, which now requires Cabinet approval.
• Starlink (led by Elon Musk), Eutelsat OneWeb (backed by Bharti Group) and Jio Satellite Communications (Reliance Industries) have received permission to start satcom services in India, pending spectrum allocation and second-stage security clearance.