New Delhi — Elon Musk’s satellite-based internet venture, Starlink, has taken a significant step toward launching in India after receiving a Letter of Intent (LoI) from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), marking initial government approval for its operations in the country.
The clearance follows Starlink’s agreement to comply with India’s updated national security norms for satellite communication operators. These include 29 additional regulatory conditions such as mandatory interception and monitoring systems, the use of local data centers, location tracking for mobile terminals, and strict data localization requirements.
Before Starlink can begin offering services, it must secure final approval from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe). The company has already submitted the necessary documentation and now awaits spectrum allocation, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Last month, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal met with Starlink executives to discuss the company’s investment roadmap in India. “Met a delegation from Starlink, comprising Vice President Chad Gibbs and Senior Director Ryan Goodnight,” Goyal wrote on X. “Discussions covered Starlink’s cutting-edge technology, existing partnerships, and future investment plans in India.”
Interest in Starlink’s entry has been building amid conversations with Indian telecom giants such as Airtel and Vodafone Idea, both of which have expressed interest in satellite connectivity partnerships. Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has also emphasized the critical role satellite internet could play in expanding broadband access to rural and remote regions of India.
Starlink, a subsidiary of Musk’s aerospace company SpaceX, aims to deliver high-speed, low-latency internet globally via a constellation of low Earth orbit satellites. SpaceX, known for its groundbreaking achievements in space travel—including crewed missions to the International Space Station and an all-civilian orbital flight—now seeks to revolutionize global internet access.
Musk is expected to visit India later this year, a trip that may coincide with further progress on Starlink’s regulatory approvals and rollout plans. (Source: IANS)
