Spectrum Policy: Why ITU Says Global Coordination is Aviation's Critical Safety Component
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure | SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Ministry of Civil Aviation | Department of Telecommunications (DoT)
The ITU underscores that harmonized radio spectrum usage is a critical, non-negotiable component for maintaining safe, efficient, and cost-effective global aviation operations. With over 100,000 flights daily, aviation relies entirely on stable radiocommunication systems for air traffic management, navigation (including GNSS), and collision avoidance. Disruptions in this sector, which contributes about 4.1% to the global economy, can have significant repercussions.
Key Role of the ITU:
Global Standards: The ITU and its Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) manage the worldβs radio-frequency spectrum and develop technical standards to ensure civil aviation systems operate safely and reliably worldwide. This is done through the Radio Regulations, an international treaty overseen by ITUβs 194 member states.
Interference Mitigation: A core mandate is preventing and resolving harmful radio interference. This includes assisting Member States in resolving jamming and spoofing cases related to Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) integrity, which are vital for precise positioning and navigation across all flight phases.
Recent Policy Developments (WRC-23 Outcomes):
The last World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-23) allocated new spectrum and regulatory provisions directly impacting civil aviation:
Global Connectivity: Spectrum was allocated in the 117.975-137 megahertz (MHz) band to the Aeronautical Mobile-Satellite (Route) Service. This allows aircraft to stay in touch with air traffic controllers everywhere in the world, especially over oceanic and remote areas where ground infrastructure is limited.
New Digital Systems: The conference permitted the introduction of new digital wideband High-Frequency (HF) systems by amending the technical plan contained in Radio Regulations Appendix 27.
Non-Safety Applications: Spectrum was allocated for non-safety aeronautical applications, enabling drones, helicopters, and small aircraft to perform surveillance, monitoring, and data transfer using wideband radio links.
Looking Ahead (WRC-27):
Future ITU work includes preparatory studies for WRC-27 on issues intersecting with aviation needs, such as possible new allocations for Mobile-Satellite Service (MSS) broadband connectivity for direct-to-device communications, and enhancements for Earth Stations in Motion (ESIMs) to reinforce global communication coverage over oceans.
Policy Relevance
This global framework is paramount for the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) as it ensures Indiaβs rapidly expanding civil aviation sector is fully interoperable with international standards. MoCA must actively align national spectrum policies with ITU-R standards, particularly those concerning GNSS integrity and interference mitigation, to secure flight paths in the densely crowded Indian airspace. Furthermore, the new allocations for non-safety applications (e.g., drones and wideband data links) create an immediate regulatory imperative for DoT to finalize national frequency plans and licensing guidelines for these new uses.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: What steps will the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) take to establish a permanent national monitoring and enforcement mechanism for GNSS frequencies to prevent jamming and spoofing in key flight corridors?
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