Starlink In India: Starlink's launch in India is just a few steps away, how much will it cost; who will benefit?

Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that Elon Musk's satellite internet project Starlink is going to get operational approval (Starlink India license) in India soon. He said that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has given a Letter of Intent (LoI) to Starlink.

According to The Print, now only final approval from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe) is pending. Scindia said, 'At present, two companies - Bharti's OneWeb and Reliance have licenses for satellite connectivity. The process of Starlink is also almost complete. LoI has been issued. I think it will get the license soon. The next step is to get approval from IN-SPACe. All three license holders will have to complete this process before starting operations.

Scindia said that OneWeb and Reliance have been given limited spectrum access for initial testing. Starlink is also expected to follow the same path after getting the official license (Satcom policy 2025).

He said, 'After this, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) will give policy norms for administrative spectrum allocation, which will govern the commercial rollout.'

Elon Musk's Starlink is close to starting its service in India. This satellite-based internet provider is active in more than 100 countries and provides fast, low-latency broadband in areas where there is no traditional internet infrastructure.

What is Starlink?

Starlink is SpaceX's revolutionary satellite internet (Elon Musk satellite internet) initiative, which provides fast and reliable broadband through a network of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. Starlink satellites are closer to Earth than traditional satellites that operate at higher altitudes, reducing latency and improving performance. This is especially useful in remote or underserved areas where traditional internet services such as fiber optics or cellular networks are limited or not available. Starlink aims to provide high-speed internet in areas that are usually deprived of connectivity.

What will be the price of Starlink in India?

According to a report in The Economic Times, SpaceX may launch Starlink satellite internet service in India with an unlimited data plan at $10 per month (about Rs 840) as an initial promotional offer. This competitive price could give Starlink a strategic edge in gaining initial market share. It could put it ahead of rivals such as Bharti Group's Eutelsat OneWeb, and Reliance Jio's partnership with SES and Globalstar, which are preparing to launch their high-speed satellite internet service in India.

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