New Delhi — Elon Musk said Friday that Starlink could help bring internet access to underserved parts of India, particularly rural communities, as the satellite broadband service awaits a commercial rollout in the country.
“Starlink would help the least served in India, especially in rural areas,” Musk said in a post on X.
His comments came in response to a post highlighting gaps in India’s digital connectivity. According to the post, 11,256 listed villages still lacked 4G coverage as of May 2026.
India had 1.093 billion internet subscriptions as of March 2026, including 440.87 million in rural areas. Rural internet subscription density stood at 48.31 connections per 100 people, compared with 126.80 in urban areas.
The post also noted that BharatNet had laid more than 850,000 route kilometers of fiber and made about 221,000 Gram Panchayats service-ready. However, only 80,472 Gram Panchayat points of presence were reported operational as of June 2026.
Satellite internet services could help close connectivity gaps in remote villages, mountainous regions, islands and disaster-affected areas where traditional telecommunications infrastructure can be difficult or costly to deploy.
Starlink is still awaiting the remaining regulatory approvals, spectrum allocation and other clearances needed to begin commercial service in India.
Musk’s comments come as India continues efforts to expand broadband access and strengthen digital infrastructure in rural and hard-to-reach areas. (Source: IANS)
