Starlink lands in India: Licence approved after 2-year wait

New Delhi: Elon Musk’s satellite internet firm, Starlink, has secured a vital licence from the Indian telecom ministry, marking a significant step towards beginning commercial operations in the country, sources confirmed.

With this clearance, Starlink becomes the third company to be granted such a licence by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), joining Eutelsat’s OneWeb and Reliance Jio in the race to roll out satellite-based internet services across India.

Long-awaited green signal

Starlink had been awaiting approval since 2022, with progress delayed by several factors, including national security considerations. While the recent clearance marks a breakthrough for the company, neither Starlink nor the DoT has issued an official statement regarding the development.

Amazon’s Kuiper still in queue

Meanwhile, Amazon’s satellite project, Project Kuiper, continues to wait for its licence to operate in India. The company remains one of the few major players yet to receive the regulatory nod for satellite internet services in the country.

Debate over spectrum allocation

In recent months, Starlink has found itself at odds with Reliance Jio over the method of allocating spectrum for satellite services. While Jio supports auctioning the spectrum, Starlink has argued in favour of direct assignment, a view that has received support from the Indian government.