Maharashtra has become the first Indian state to officially partner with Elon Musk's Starlink to provide satellite-based internet connectivity to remote and underserved regions. The state government and Starlink Satellite Communications Private Limited signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to launch the services. This collaboration aims to provide internet access to government institutions, rural communities, and critical public infrastructure. The initiative is subject to regulatory and compliance clearances from the Government of India.

Here are 5 things to know about this partnership:

1. Bridging the Digital Divide: The primary goal of this partnership is to bridge the digital divide by providing high-speed internet access to areas with limited or no connectivity. This includes remote villages, tribal schools, primary health centers, and other critical infrastructure in underserved districts such as Gadchiroli, Nandurbar, Dharashiv, and Washim. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated that the collaboration aims to connect every village, school, and health center, no matter how remote.

2. Key Focus Areas: The collaboration will focus on providing connectivity to various key areas:

   • Government offices and administrative centers in rural zones.
   • Tribal and remote schools.
   • Primary health centers.
   • Disaster control rooms.
   • Forest outposts and coastal zones.
   • Key infrastructure corridors like the Samruddhi Mahamarg.
   • Ferries, coastal vehicles, ports, and coastal police networks.
   • Aspirational districts.
   • Smart connectivity for education and telemedicine.

3. Starlink's Role and Infrastructure: Starlink, owned by Elon Musk's SpaceX, operates the world's largest constellation of communication satellites in low-Earth orbit. This allows them to deliver reliable broadband internet capable of supporting streaming, online gaming, and video calls. Starlink is planning to establish nine gateway earth stations across major Indian cities to ensure seamless internet connectivity. These stations connect satellites in low Earth orbit to terrestrial networks, optimizing coverage and providing high-speed, low-latency internet services to both urban and rural regions.

4. Alignment with State and National Missions: The Maharashtra-Starlink collaboration aligns with the state's flagship Digital Maharashtra mission and integrates with its EV, Coastal Development, and Disaster Resilience programs. It also supports the Digital India vision by connecting aspirational districts and promoting digital inclusion. The initiative is expected to improve e-governance and local entrepreneurship.

5. Future Prospects and Regulatory Approvals: Starlink is expected to launch commercial services in India by late 2025 or early 2026. However, the rollout is subject to regulatory and compliance approvals from the Department of Telecommunications. Starlink has received a Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) license from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). The company can have only 2,000,000 connections in India, as per government approval, to maintain fairness against other Indian telecom providers. Internet speeds are expected to range from 25 Mbps to 225 Mbps.