Elon Musk’s Starlink is set to launch in India soon, with final regulatory approvals nearly complete. Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia confirmed that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has already issued a Letter of Intent (LOI) to Starlink. The last step is clearance from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe).
Currently, companies like OneWeb and Reliance have received limited spectrum licenses for testing. Starlink will follow a similar process before a full-scale rollout. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) will later define the policy for commercial spectrum allocation.
Starlink is already active in over 100 countries and aims to bring high-speed internet to rural and remote regions through a constellation of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. Its lower latency compared to traditional satellites makes it ideal for areas where fiber or mobile networks are weak or absent.
In India, Starlink’s entry-level pricing could disrupt the market. As per reports, SpaceX plans to offer unlimited data plans below $10 (around ₹840) per month during the initial launch phase. This aggressive pricing is likely to create stiff competition for rivals like OneWeb (Bharti Group-backed), Reliance Jio (in partnership with SES), and Globalstar, all of whom are preparing to enter India’s satellite broadband space.
With growing demand for rural connectivity and digital infrastructure, Starlink’s imminent arrival could redefine how internet access is delivered across India.
