New Delhi– Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Wednesday that all due diligence for the entry of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service into India has been completed from the government’s side. Once the company receives the necessary regulatory and licensing approvals from the Indian space regulator, it will be free to begin operations.
In an exclusive interview with IANS in the national capital, Scindia confirmed that the Ministry has cleared the way for the affordable satellite-based service to enter the Indian market. The final step lies with the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), India’s independent space regulator.
“Now the ball is in Starlink’s court to begin their services in India after receiving those approvals,” Scindia said.
Starlink, operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, is expected to begin offering services in India within the next two months. The company is nearing completion of the regulatory process.
IN-SPACe Chairman Dr. Pawan Goenka has confirmed that most of the required approvals have been addressed. A draft Letter of Intent (LOI) has already been issued to Starlink. Once both parties sign the document, the company will be officially cleared to operate in India.
Established in June 2020, IN-SPACe was created following the government’s decision to open the space sector to private players. It serves as a single-window, autonomous agency under the Department of Space (DOS), responsible for facilitating private participation in India’s space activities.
Starlink delivers internet through a vast network of satellites in low Earth orbit. With over 6,750 satellites currently in operation, it runs the world’s largest satellite constellation.
According to the company, Starlink offers high-speed, low-latency internet suitable even for remote areas with limited infrastructure. In Asia, the service is already available in countries such as Mongolia, Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Jordan, Yemen, Azerbaijan, and, most recently, Sri Lanka.
Globally, Starlink serves users in over 100 countries, offering both residential and roaming internet plans. Its residential offerings typically include two tiers: Residential Lite for households with lighter data needs, and Residential for users with higher bandwidth requirements. (Source: IANS)
