Internet: Elon Musk’s Starlink gets space regulator’s nod for India launch
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Technology czar Elon Musk’s Starlink has received a final regulatory permission for launching its highs-speed, satellite-based, Internet service in India, the media reported on Wednesday.
The Indian National Space Promotion & Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), the regulator, is an independent nodal agency in the Department of Space (DoS) for promotion, facilitation and authorization of space activities by Non-Government Private Entities (NGPEs).
Musk’s Starlink offers fast satellite internet services to over 100 countries, including plans for India by 2026. With Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, it promises high-speed internet with low latency, targeting businesses, and consumers.
Starlink receiving a licence from the space regulator to launch commercial operations in India clears the only remaining regulatory hurdle for the satellite provider to enter the market.
The Musk-led firm has been waiting since 2022 for licences to operate commercially in India. In June, it received a key license from the Union Ministry of Telecommunication but has been waiting for a go-ahead from India’s space department.
Starlink would be the third company to receive India’s nod to enter the space, with the country previously approving applications by Eutelsat’s OneWeb and Reliance Jio to provide services in the country.
Now, Starlink will need to secure spectrum from the government, set up ground infrastructure, and also demonstrate through testing and trials that it meets the security rules it has signed up for.
