Athira Sethu
Kochi, 10 July 2025
Elon Musk’s satellite internet firm Starlink has been given the last approval needed to begin operations in India. The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) has granted satellite permission to Starlink Satellite Communications Private Limited (SSCPL), which enables it to operate its Starlink Gen1 low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation in India.
The approval is in force for five years or until the operational closure of the Gen1 satellite constellation, whichever is earlier. Starlink will also require further Saudi government approvals and licenses from applicable ministries prior to full commercial launch.
Earlier Approvals and Service Rollout Timeline
On 5th June, the company obtained important licenses from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), such as the Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) license, Commercial VSAT, and Internet Service Provider (ISP) license.
With all key regulatory clearances now in place, Starlink is likely to start putting together its ground infrastructure in India. This shall involve importing necessary equipment and taking requisite clearances. Services are expected to be launched in the next few months.
Starlink Gen1 Constellation and Technical Capabilities
The Starlink Gen1 constellation has 4,408 satellites that orbit at an altitude of between 540 km to 570 km. The system has the ability to provide 600 Gbps throughput to India and can be used for high-speed internet connectivity even in far-flung and underdeveloped regions.
Target Markets and Use Cases
Starlink’s major target in India will be to serve rural and far-flung areas with little telecom infrastructure. Major use cases will be enterprise solutions for the mining, maritime, and aviation sectors, as well as government projects.
Industry analysts also expect Starlink to penetrate urban markets, where customers might take up the service for added connectivity or because of early adopter appeal.
Pricing and Equipment Costs
Analyst reports indicate Starlink will introduce data plans for less than ₹1,000 per month in India, which is more than the fiber broadband plans of telcos such as Reliance Jio and Airtel. Nonetheless, users of satellite internet will have to spend money on home hardware, which might be more than ₹20,000.
Starlink will likely consider subsidizing hardware according to its international pricing models to make the service more affordable in India.
Government Support and Strategic Partnerships
The government of India considers satellite internet to be a major tool for realizing 100% mobile penetration in the country. The entry of Starlink and other satcom companies is viewed as a move toward 100% mobile reach in the nation.
Starlink has already partnered with large telecom operators Jio and Airtel. Both operators inked agreements in March to assist the promotion and possible network integration of Starlink services. These partnerships followed a summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Elon Musk during Modi’s visit to the U.S. earlier this year.
With all regulatory approvals now in place, Starlink is gearing up for an aggressive expansion in India’s high-growth digital connectivity market.
