Starlink gets nod to launch satellite internet services in India

Elon Musk’s Starlink, has secured a Letter of Intent (LoI) from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), putting it a key step toward its commercial rollout in the country.

The approval follows the company’s agreement to comply with India’s recently updated national security regulations for satellite communication providers.

With the development, Starlink, which is a subsidiary of Musk’s SpaceX, can now to move forward with plans to deliver broadband connectivity across India, particularly targeting underserved and remote areas. Final approval will depend on authorisation from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) and allocation of spectrum.

Starlink has reportedly has submitted the necessary documents and is awaiting further clearances.
The DoT updated guidelines earlier this year. They include 29 new conditions applicable to both existing and future satellite communications operators.

These requirements mandate interception and monitoring capabilities, the establishment of local data centres, and restrictions on routing data through overseas terminals. Providers must also enable location tracking for user terminals and comply with other localisation demands.

Starlink operates a growing fleet of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, currently numbering around 7,000, with plans to expand to over 40,000. Unlike Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio-SES, which are cleared to offer only fixed satellite services in India, Starlink may become the first to provide mobile satellite internet.

This would allow continuous connectivity on the move, which could support emergency services and rural communications.

India’s satellite internet market is still in its early stages, with interest steadily rising. Amazon’s Project Kuiper and Apple’s partner Globalstar are among the other international players eyeing the Indian market.

Within the country, telecom majors such as Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea are reportedly exploring partnerships with Starlink. Starlink has already signed agreements with Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, who together command over 70% of the domestic telecom sector.

Elon Musk is expected to visit India later this year. The visit is likely to include discussions on Starlink’s operational plans and broader investment strategy for entering one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing internet markets.