Airtel ties up with SpaceX to bring Starlink’s high-speed internet to India

Telecom operator Bharti Airtel Ltd on Tuesday announced a deal with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to roll out Starlink’s high-speed internet services to its customers in India.

This is the first such agreement to be signed in India, and is subject to SpaceX receiving its own authorizations to sell Starlink in India, the company said in a statement to the exchanges after trading hours.

The deal allows Airtel and SpaceX “to explore how Starlink can complement and expand Airtel’s offerings, and how Airtel’s expertise complements SpaceX’s direct offerings to consumers and businesses,” the statement added.

Airtel and SpaceX will explore offering Starlink equipment in Airtel’s retail stores, Starlink services via Airtel to business customers, and opportunities to connect communities, schools, and health centers, among many others, in rural parts of India.

Both companies will also explore how Starlink can help expand and enhance the Airtel network, as well as SpaceX’s ability to utilize and benefit from Airtel’s ground network infrastructure and other capabilities in India, the statement added.

By adding Starlink (in addition to its existing alliance with Eutelsat OneWeb) to its offerings, Airtel will further its ability to offer nationwide connectivity and connect previously underserved areas, particularly those with limited to no coverage today, the telecom firm said.

“Working with SpaceX to offer Starlink to Airtel customers in India is a significant milestone and further demonstrates our commitment to next-generation satellite connectivity,” Bharti Airtel managing director and vice-chairman Gopal Vittal said.

“This collaboration enhances our ability to bring world-class high-speed broadband to even the most remote parts of India, ensuring that every individual, business, and community has reliable internet,” Vittal added.

“We are excited to work with Airtel and unlock the transformative impact Starlink can bring to Indians,” SpaceX president and chief operating officer Gwynne Shotwell said. “The team at Airtel has played a pivotal role in India’s telecom story, so working with them to complement our direct offering makes great sense for our business.”