Elon Musk’s Starlink Gets Government Approval To Launch Satellite Internet In India: Key Points To Know
Starlink receives government nod to launch satellite internet in India, partners with Jio and Airtel, but high pricing may limit adoption in rural areas.
Elon Musk's Starlink receives government approval to launch satellite internet in India, partners with Jio and Airtel.
Elon Musk’s Starlink is one step closer to launching satellite internet services in India. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued a Letter of Intent (LoI) to Starlink, confirming that the company has agreed to follow all required licensing and national security protocols. This approval gives Starlink the green light to begin setting up its infrastructure and demo services in the country.
Starlink Secures Key Approval for Indian Entry
A Moneycontrol report, citing government sources, states that the LoI was granted after Starlink assured compliance with the revised security guidelines. These include strict measures such as data localisation, lawful interception, secure gateways, and local manufacturing of equipment. The final operational license will be issued once all these conditions are fully met.
This move allows Starlink to conduct trial services similar to what OneWeb is already doing under a pilot program for the defence sector. Approval from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) is also expected soon.
High-Level Push and New Partnerships
As per the report, Starlink officials, including market access director Parnil Urdhwareshe and global licensing head Ryan Goodnight, met with Union Minister Piyush Goyal on April 16 to fast-track the approval process. This meeting appears to have helped push the LoI through quickly.
In a significant shift in the telecom space, Starlink has already joined hands with Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel. These telecom giants will distribute Starlink’s satellite internet services via their physical stores and online platforms, especially targeting India’s rural and remote regions.
Challenges Ahead Due to Pricing
Despite the regulatory progress, analysts remain sceptical about Starlink’s widespread adoption in India. The service is expected to be priced 10–14 times higher than existing broadband offerings from Jio and Airtel, making it unaffordable for most rural users. Experts believe it will serve mainly premium users and small businesses in underserved regions unless government subsidies come into play.
Minister of State for Communications Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani also played down fears that Starlink would disrupt the local telecom market, noting that the company has fewer than 5 million users globally and that its service is mainly for stationary, not mobile, use.
Industry Awaits Spectrum Clarity
Meanwhile, other satellite internet players like Amazon’s Project Kuiper are still waiting for their LoIs, while OneWeb has urged the DoT to allow commercial rollout of services under its assigned spectrum. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is expected to soon announce pricing for satellite spectrum, which will determine how fast this space can grow.
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Shubham Arora author
Shubham is a passionate tech enthusiast whose world revolves around smartph...View More
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