Elon Musk’s Starlink Secures Indian Government Approval to Launch Satellite Internet Services

Starlink, Elon Musk's satellite internet company, has received a crucial licence from India's telecommunications ministry, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday.

This is an important milestone for the satellite internet provider and brings it closer to introducing its commercial services in India.

Starlink has been waiting for licences to operate commercially in India since 2022, but delays have occurred for a variety of reasons ranging from national security concerns to the fact that Amazon's Kuiper is still waiting for its Indian licence.

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Starlink and the Department of Telecommunications did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Earlier this month, Indian mobile phone giant Bharti Airtel announced a deal with Elon Musk's SpaceX to bring the revolutionary Starlink satellite internet service to India.

Airtel, one of India's largest telecommunications firms, said in a statement at the time that the agreement was subject to SpaceX receiving approvals to sell Starlink's satellite-communications based offerings in India.

Later, Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio also signed a deal with Elon Musk's SpaceX to bring Starlink satellite internet service to India, in a surprising move by the billionaires after being at odds for months on how the country would grant them spectrum.

India's largest telecom provider would have Starlink equipment available for sale in its retail stores, providing a tap point for direct distribution through such stores across the country.

Both the Airtel and Jio agreements were contingent upon Starlink receiving government approvals to operate in the country.

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Starlink is a satellite internet system, utilizing SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk. It touts high-speed internet using low Earth orbit satellites. If it ever makes it into the Indian market, Starlink is a game changer for those in the country who have no or low access internet, including those in the most remote areas.

According to its official website, Starlink uses a system of small satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to connect with user terminals on the ground.

It currently has over 6,750 satellites and has provided high-speed low-latency internet to millions of active subscribers around the world.

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