Starlink, Owned by Musk, is Pursuing Indian security Clearance for Satellite Broadband

Nitin Konde, Varun Bhardwaj

Nov 14, 2024 — 3 min read

Starlink Seeks Security Clearance for Satellite Broadband in India

The telecoms minister stated on 12 November 2024 that Elon Musk's Starlink is requesting security clearance for a licence to provide satellite internet services in India and will receive permission if all requirements are met.

When New Delhi announced last month that it will allocate satellite broadband spectrum administratively rather than through an auction, as Musk had requested, Starlink's long-term aspirations to join India took a significant boost. Mukesh Ambani, a rival Indian telecom mogul, has requested an auction.

Starlink Requires to Fulfil All Mandates of Indian Government

In order to receive security clearance, Starlink must convince New Delhi that it processes and maintains data locally and that its satellite signals are secure, according to Indian telecom minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, who made this announcement recently. "You receive the licence once all the requirements are met. At an event in New Delhi, Scindia stated, "We will be very happy if they (Starlink) do that."

Musk's plans to provide broadband to Indians, a market that Ambani's Reliance Jio now controls with 14 million wired connections, would be one step closer if Starlink were granted security clearance. According to a media report, Ambani, the richest man in Asia, has over 479 million Indian telecom users. However, he is worried that after investing $19 billion on airwave auctions, he now runs the risk of losing internet customers as well as maybe data and phone clients to Musk as technology develops. A report claims that Reliance already has security clearance to begin offering satellite broadband services.

Starlink Ready to Comply With Security Requirements

According to various media reports, Starlink has informed the Indian government that it is prepared to abide by all of New Delhi's security regulations.

To begin providing satellite broadband services, businesses must still acquire spectrum after receiving security clearance. Ambani provided free data on his mobile services, and Musk has used similar forceful strategies. Musk upset regional telecom companies by pricing Starlink at $10 a month in Kenya as opposed to $120 in the US.

Fierce Competition in Indian Spectrum Satellite Space

Hours after Elon Musk denounced the auction process that rival billionaire Mukesh Ambani was pursuing as "unprecedented," the Indian government recently announced that it will distribute spectrum for satellite broadband administratively rather than through an auction.

The process of allocating spectrum for satellite services in India, a market expected to expand 36% annually to reach $1.9 billion by 2030, has been a divisive topic since last year in what is perceived as a battle between billionaires.

Musk's Starlink contends that administrative licence distribution follows a worldwide pattern, while India's Reliance, which is run by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, claims that an auction is necessary to guarantee fair competition and that Indian law does not specify how individuals can receive satellite broadband services. At a ceremony in New Delhi, Telecoms Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia stated that the telecom watchdog would determine the spectrum's pricing and that it would be administratively distributed in accordance with Indian law.