Elon Musk’s Starlink initiative receives satcom licence from Indian government ; plans out soon

New Delhi (India) June 7: Elon Musk's Starlink has been granted permission by the telecoms ministry to begin commercial operations in India. This is a significant step forward for the satellite carrier, which has long sought to enter the South Asian nation.

After Jio Satellite Communications and Eutelsat OneWeb, it is the third company to be granted a licence to offer satellite internet services in the nation. Amazon's Kuiper, a fourth application, is pending approval. 

Elon Musk's satellite-based internet service provider will launch in India within a year. It will provide 600–700 gigabit per second (Gbps) of bandwidth. 

According to Jyotiraditya Scindia, the minister of communications, Musk's Starlink would be approved to become India's third satellite internet service provider.

Scindia underlined that using satellite communication services can be an efficient way to increase internet coverage, especially in remote areas where setting up traditional infrastructure like cables and towers would be difficult.

He said, “And after this, the government will provide the spectrum. Subsequently, satellite telecom services will be fully operational in the country at a rapid pace. I am sure the customer base in India will grow substantially,”

Starlink has been waiting for licenses to conduct business in India since 2022. According to reports, Starlink is almost done obtaining the special licence that it still requires from India's space regulator. The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (In-SPACe) must now grant Starlink a critical clearance. 

Starlink will then have to install ground infrastructure, obtain spectrum from the government and prove through testing and trials that it complies with the security guidelines it has agreed to.

SpaceX's satellite broadband effort, Starlink, is already operational in 100 countries and aims to transform internet connectivity by beaming high-speed access from space.

During his February trip to the United States, Musk met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They both discussed India's worries regarding satisfying certain security requirements and Starlink's launch plans.

Musk is pleased about the decision because SpaceX's contracts and space programs with the U.S. government, worth $22 billion, are at risk due to his public feud with President Donald Trump.

Aadrika Tayal