India Grants Conditional Approval for Starlink’s Satellite Internet Services
India has granted conditional approval to SpaceX’s Starlink to begin offering satellite-based internet services in the country, according to a report by CNBC-TV18 on Thursday.
Key Developments:
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The conditional nod allows Starlink to progress toward commercial operations, pending fulfillment of regulatory requirements.
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Starlink had been awaiting licenses since 2022, with delays linked to national security concerns and policy disagreements over satellite spectrum allocation.
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The decision follows Starlink’s March agreements with major Indian telecom providers: Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea, and Reliance Jio.
Background:
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A policy tussle between Elon Musk and Mukesh Ambani over satellite spectrum allocation had stalled progress. The Indian government ultimately supported the open allocation model advocated by Musk.
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India, the world’s most populous nation, presents a massive market opportunity for expanding high-speed connectivity, especially in rural and remote areas.
The conditional approval paves the way for Starlink to compete with Amazon’s Project Kuiper and OneWeb (backed by Bharti) in a race to dominate India’s satellite broadband future.
