Elon Musk's Starlink Secures Final Approval To Enter India's Satellite Internet Market, Launch Expected Soon

Elon Musk’s satellite internet venture Starlink has received the final green light to begin commercial operations in India. The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), the country’s space regulator, has granted Starlink a five-year licence, clearing the last regulatory hurdle. Starlink had been waiting for approvals since 2022, and this move now officially opens the door for its entry into the Indian market.

Starlink Clears Last Hurdle with IN-SPACe Nod

As reported by Reuters, the final approval from IN-SPACe comes just weeks after Starlink received a key operating licence from India’s Department of Telecommunications. With both permissions now in hand, Starlink is expected to move ahead with launching its satellite-based internet services across the country.

Starlink is now the third company to be granted permission to offer satellite communication services in India. The others are OneWeb, backed by Eutelsat, and Reliance Jio. The satellite internet sector is set to witness quite a competition as all three firms gear up to deliver high-speed internet using satellites – especially in areas where there’s little or no broadband coverage.

What’s Next for Starlink in India?

While the licence is a big milestone, Starlink still has a few key steps ahead. The company will need to:

• Secure spectrum allocation from the Indian government,
• Set up ground infrastructure, and
• Conduct tests and trials to prove it meets India’s national security standards.

Policy Win for Elon Musk

There has been an ongoing debate over how spectrum should be distributed for satellite internet services. Musk had argued for spectrum allocation rather than auctioning, which was opposed by India’s Reliance Jio. Eventually, the Indian government sided with Starlink, favouring direct assignment of spectrum for such services.

With regulatory hurdles behind it, Starlink is now set to bring affordable, high-speed satellite internet to rural and remote parts of India – a market with enormous potential.