Elon Musk’s Starlink has now obtained the Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) licence from India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT)—becoming the third provider in this space, alongside Eutelsat’s OneWeb and Jio‑SES reuters.comeconomictimes.indiatimes.com. With this regulatory nod, Starlink is officially cleared to market its service in India and accept customer registrations business-standard.comapnews.com.
⚙️ 2. Next Steps Before Launch
Although the licence is a major milestone, several crucial steps lie ahead:
- Trial Spectrum Allocation
Starlink is expected to receive trial satellite spectrum within 15–20 days of application ndtv.comsambadenglish.com. - IN‑SPACe & Space Clearances
Final approvals are required from India’s space regulator (IN‑SPACe) for orbital operations business-standard.commoneycontrol.com. - Ground Infrastructure & Security
Building necessary ground stations and satisfying security protocols like lawful interception are essential before commercial deployment business-standard.comndtv.com.
These combined steps are forecasted to take multiple months, possibly extending service rollout to late 2025 or early 2026 reuters.comtimesofindia.indiatimes.com.
📊 3. Market Opportunity & Connectivity Challenge
- Over 40% of India’s 1.4 billion population still lacks reliable internet—especially in rural and mountainous regions apnews.com.
- Starlink’s low-Earth orbit (LEO) network offers high-speed, low-latency broadband, a boon for remote classrooms, telehealth, digital banking, and farmers accessing market data apnews.comhindustantimes.com.
- With India’s satellite internet sector projected to reach $1.9 billion by 2030, entry of global players like Starlink (and upcoming Amazon Kuiper) is set to intensify country-wide digital inclusion reuters.combusiness-standard.com.
🤝 4. Partnerships & Market Competition
- In March 2025, Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio both signed agreements to retail Starlink user terminals in their distribution networks reuters.comapnews.com.
- While these partnerships can accelerate market adoption, domestic operators argue the government’s proposed 4% annual revenue fee for satcom providers gives an unfair advantage compared to terrestrial licensees reuters.comapnews.com.
- Starlink now directly competes with other satellite players: OneWeb (Airtel-backed) and Jio‑SES.
⏳ 5. Rollout Timeline & Expectations
Here’s a tentative roadmap for Starlink in India:
| Phase | Timeline | Key Activities |
|---|---|---|
| Licence & Registration | Completed | GMPCS licence granted; marketing & customer registration begin |
| Trial Spectrum & Testing | Within 1 month | Application → trial spectrum; technical field testing |
| Regulatory & Security Clearances | Next few months | IN‑SPACe nod; build ground stations; satisfy lawful interception |
| Commercial Launch | Late 2025–Early 2026 | Service rollout in remote and underserved areas |
💡 6. What Makes This Move Significant
- Digital Equity: Starlink targets bridging rural-urban connectivity gaps, a key driver for national development.
- Market Disruption: Affordable, high-speed satellite internet will challenge India’s existing broadband pricing model.
- Strategic Diversification: Adds resilience to India’s telecom ecosystem with non-terrestrial connectivity options.
✅ Final Take: Turning Connectivity Dreams into Reality
Starlink’s licence clearance sets the stage for a new phase in India’s digital transformation. While infrastructure, pricing, and regulatory hurdles lie ahead, the company is well-placed to deliver high-speed internet to underserved regions. As rollout progresses, broadband access may finally reach every corner of the country—opening doors for education, healthcare, and economic development.