Starlink Secures Approval to Launch Satellite Internet in India

Elon Musk's satellite internet project has finally got a go-ahead from the Indian government to set up operations after nearly three years of wading through bureaucratic channels. Starlink now moves toward getting its Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) license cleared. A letter of intent has been issued, marking a significant go-ahead for the company to set up operations in a market where it has pushed back against domestic telecom giants Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, who opposed Starlink in favor of auctioning spectrum.

Strategic Meetings Accelerate Progress

Starlink's latest movement in India traces high-profile dealings with the Indian leadership. Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk had a discussion that provided a glimpse into the kind of collaboration between star companies and high-profile world leaders that is common in the modern political economy. Meanwhile, SpaceX's Starlink also pressed its case for going to market in India in meetings with senior government officials. Pressing the play button on the Indian digital economy is a promise that Starlink, a bridge in satellite technology, makes to the Indian government.

A New Chapter in India's Broadband Landscape

Starlink's arrival presents a real alternative to old-school terrestrial broadband networks like cable and fiber. With about 7,000 satellites currently in orbit, it's also the much larger player in the satellite broadband space, and the much cheaper one, too. Still, with that much space in the sky, Starlink's coverage is unmatched, and resilience is built into a system that can route around terrestrial failures, whether due to natural disasters or human errors. Pricing remains an open question, but the first tier of customers in India will probably be well-heeled urban households and businesses seeking a reliable alternative.

Compliance and Localization

The Department of Telecommunications has now granted approval. There had been some concern that the stringent new guidelines released by the department, demanding, among other things, that public and private satellite internet providers support India's regional navigation system, NavIC, might hobble Starlink's entry into the Indian market. Starlink already has its phased rollout plan in place, clearly outlined in the 50-page application document it submitted last July, in which it also detailed how it would comply with the new regulations. Implementation of the plan will be closely monitored by the Indian government.