Problem #1: the Indian experimental GSAT 1 satellite ended up in a lower-than-planned orbit because the launch vehicle's third stage underperformed. It had been expected the satellite could propel itself into geostationary orbit using about half of its on-board fuel, but then...
Problem #2 occurred. GSAT 1 has two different propellant tanks, which resulted in an unequal flow of fuel. The resulting imbalance created an impulse that made the spacecraft tilt. All remaining fuel was then depleted in futile attempts to stabilise the satellite.
Two old propellant tanks, one German made and the other Indian, which were readily available, had been used since GSAT-1's primary purpose was to validate the first mission of India's GSLV launch vehicle. The designers tried to take the tanks' different flow rates into account, but a small imbalance remained that was sufficient to tilt the spacecraft.