India Officially Licenses Starlink Satellite Internet Services
The Indian government has granted a license to Elon Musk’s Starlink network to provide satellite internet services in India, as announced by Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on X, following a meeting with SpaceX CEO Gwynne Shotwell, who described the decision as the beginning of a new journey.
This license comes after months of political debate in India, where Starlink competed with a rival project backed by the Reliance Group, led by businessman Mukesh Ambani. Ultimately, Reliance’s Jio Platforms signed an agreement with Starlink to offer its services in the country alongside Indian telecom operator Bharti Airtel.
Starlink relies on over 6,000 satellites in low Earth orbit and currently serves more than four million customers across approximately one hundred countries worldwide.
Despite Reliance’s opposition to granting the contract directly to Starlink without a formal bidding process, the government opted for this path amid calls for a more transparent process. Reliance was promoting an alternative project in collaboration with Luxembourg-based SES to provide satellite internet services.
This development comes amid growing ties between Musk and India, particularly following a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an official visit to Washington, where Tesla, also owned by Musk, began steps to expand its operations in the Indian market through hiring and plans for development.
