Elon Musk's Starlink has secured a crucial license from India's Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to provide satellite communication services in the country. This approval marks a significant step forward for Starlink's ambitions in the Indian market and positions it to potentially become the first company to offer both fixed and mobile satellite services.
Sources familiar with the matter confirmed that the license has been granted, making Starlink the third company to receive such authorization from the DoT, following Eutelsat's OneWeb and Reliance Jio. This development signifies the formal entry of Elon Musk, into India's rapidly growing communications services sector.
The Indian government had earlier directed Starlink to refund pre-order amounts to customers. The recent approval was granted after Starlink agreed to comply with the Indian government's new national security guidelines. This commitment to security paved the way for the final nod from the authorities after a period of review.
Starlink's entry into India is expected to revolutionize internet access, particularly in remote and underserved areas where traditional fiber-optic cables are not feasible. Satellite communication (Satcom) offers a viable solution for connecting these regions, providing essential services such as broadband internet, voice communication, and data transmission. These services are especially crucial in rural, mountainous, and disaster-prone areas where establishing terrestrial networks is either too expensive or physically challenging.
OneWeb and Reliance Jio are currently cleared to provide only fixed satellite services. Starlink may become the first to offer mobile satellite internet in India. This could set Starlink apart, allowing users to remain connected even while in motion—an advantage in emergency response and remote area communications.
India's satellite communication market is still in its early stages, but it is attracting significant global interest. Amazon's Project Kuiper and Globalstar, a partner of Apple, are also considering entering the Indian market to offer broadband-from-space services. To strengthen its presence, Starlink has reportedly signed agreements with Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, who together dominate over 70% of the Indian telecom sector. These partnerships could help Starlink leverage existing infrastructure and customer bases to accelerate its market entry and expansion.
The Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has emphasized that the telecom ministry is "company agnostic and customer centric" in its approach. He also mentioned that Starlink had recently secured a Letter of Intent from the Department of Telecommunications, a key milestone before full licensing. The DoT is optimistic about issuing Starlink full licence, provided the company accepts all terms unconditionally. Furthermore, the government intends to grant trial spectrum to Starlink within 15-20 days.
