Starlink’s Launch in India: It’s Now a Matter of When, Not If

Elon Musk’s Starlink has gained anticipated state approval in India, allowing it to enter the world’s second-largest internet market after China—over three years after SpaceX’s initial effort to introduce its satellite-based broadband in the country failed.

On Wednesday, the Indian Department of Telecommunications confirmed its approval for Starlink to start working towards compliance in the South Asian nation, as a senior official informed TechCrunch.

Starlink must now provide documentation to show adherence to licensing requirements. Earlier this week, New Delhi released its guidelines (PDF) for Global Mobile Personal Communications by Satellite (GMPCS) operators, establishing clear security protocols for companies like Starlink, Amazon’s Kuiper, and others.

Some of these regulations will grant the Indian government the power to censor content and intercept traffic, akin to terrestrial network providers, as well as limit user terminal access “from outside the geo-fenced coverage area and/or via gateways located outside India.” Satellite firms must comply with these regulations to function within the country.

Additionally, SpaceX will need clearance from India’s space regulatory body, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), to activate its satellite communication services.

Nonetheless, sources indicate that the official launch of Starlink’s services in India is expected to take between six to nine months.

Regardless, this recent progress is a promising indication from the Indian government for Musk, who is keen to introduce Starlink in the country to broaden its user base. With a population of over 1.4 billion and approximately 950 million internet subscribers, India offers a considerable opportunity for Starlink and other innovative internet service providers.

This approval comes roughly two months after Indian telecom giants Airtel and Reliance Jio partnered with SpaceX to introduce Starlink’s high-speed internet service in India. However, the rollout through these collaborations was not without challenges, as Starlink needed separate regulatory approvals.

In 2022, SpaceX faced criticism for launching Starlink services in India without the required licenses, leading to the company refunding pre-orders of its equipment after governmental backlash for “booking/rendering the satellite internet service” before securing authorization.

Nonetheless, the situation for Starlink has improved, partly due to Musk’s close ties with Trump. Reports indicate that Starlink has served as a bargaining chip in trade negotiations between the U.S. and various countries.

Last month, Indian commerce minister Piyush Goyal held discussions with Starlink executives, including its India lead, Parnil Urdhwareshe, at his office in New Delhi. This followed a meeting two months prior between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Musk in the U.S. Musk has also hinted at visiting India this year, providing a chance to evaluate Tesla’s operations in the rapidly expanding Indian market.

That being said, Starlink may face both local and international competition in India’s satellite internet sector, as OneWeb, in collaboration with Airtel, has already received the green light from IN-SPACe. Additionally, Jio SpaceFiber—a partnership between Reliance Jio and SES—has secured endorsements from both DoT and IN-SPACe, and Amazon’s Kuiper is also pursuing approvals to launch its service when ready.

The Indian government has yet to reveal specifics regarding spectrum allocation for satellite internet firms. In late 2023, the government approved spectrum allocation for satellite services through a defined fee under a new telecom bill, but details regarding the requirements and costs remain undisclosed.

SpaceX did not respond to a request for comment.