The minister emphasised that Starlink should be sure that consumer terminals are registered domestically earlier than a license might be granted
In sum – what you might want to know:
License on maintain – Starlink has not but acquired approval to function in India, because it should fulfill regulatory and safety circumstances, together with establishing native gateways and registering consumer terminals.
Authorities watch – The licensing course of entails a number of companies (DoT, TRAI, IN-SPACe), with a robust concentrate on inside safety and knowledge sovereignty earlier than any inexperienced gentle is given.
Strategic partnerships – Bharti Airtel and Jio have each signed agreements with SpaceX, contingent on Starlink’s approval, to develop satellite tv for pc broadband to underserved areas utilizing native infrastructure.
Starlink, Elon Musk’s satellite tv for pc web enterprise, has but to obtain an working license in India, in response to native press stories.
India’s Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, chatting with native media, confirmed that whereas progress is being made, Starlink has not but accomplished all the required steps to begin providing providers within the nation.
“The method is ongoing. The minute they meet all circumstances — together with establishing gateways in India and registering consumer terminals regionally — we’re able to challenge the license,” Scindia mentioned.
The licensing resolution entails a number of companies, together with the Division of Telecommunications (DoT), the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the Indian Nationwide House Promotion and Authorization Heart (IN-SPACe). Collectively, these authorities are presently assessing the corporate’s compliance with India’s regulatory framework, which incorporates technical, administrative and nationwide safety concerns.
The minister emphasised that Starlink should be sure that consumer terminals are registered domestically earlier than a license might be granted. These necessities are a part of broader efforts to make sure knowledge sovereignty and handle inside safety issues.
“It’s not solely associated to DoT, but in addition to inside safety — gateways should be in India, any consumer terminal must be registered in India…the minute they test all of the packing containers, which I additionally hope might be quickly, the license ought to be given,” Scindia added.
Final month, Indian provider Bharti Airtel introduced that it has entered into an settlement with SpaceX to supply Starlink’s broadband providers to prospects in India.
At the moment, Airtel famous that this marks the primary such settlement within the nation, contingent upon SpaceX securing regulatory approvals to formally present Starlink providers within the Asian nation.
The collaboration will Airtel and SpaceX to discover how Starlink can complement Airtel’s present choices whereas additionally leveraging Airtel’s experience within the Indian market to reinforce SpaceX’s direct client and enterprise providers.
As a part of this partnership, Airtel and SpaceX will contemplate making Starlink tools obtainable by way of Airtel’s retail shops, delivering Starlink connectivity to Airtel’s enterprise purchasers and lengthening protection to distant areas, together with colleges, well being facilities and whole communities. Moreover, each corporations will discover methods through which Starlink can improve Airtel’s community whereas SpaceX advantages from Airtel’s infrastructure and operational capabilities inside India.
By integrating Starlink into its portfolio — alongside its present partnership with Eutelsat OneWeb — Airtel goals to develop its protection, notably in areas that presently have little or no entry to broadband providers.
Bharti Airtel’s chairman Sunil Mittal has not too long ago known as on governments and regulators to incentivize telecom operators to develop rural connectivity, assist business consolidation and decrease spectrum prices.
Talking at Cell World Congress (MWC) 2025 in Barcelona, he emphasised the pressing want for cooperation between terrestrial and satellite tv for pc operators to shut the connectivity hole for the final 400 million individuals worldwide.
Mittal confused that consolidation within the telecom sector is important to allow operators to take a position closely in infrastructure and companion with satellite tv for pc suppliers. He argued that the business ought to concentrate on sharing assets reasonably than duplicating investments.
Jio Platforms, which is a part of Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries, had additionally introduced an settlement with SpaceX to convey Starlink’s broadband web providers to its prospects in India.
The Indian firm famous that this collaboration goals to ship dependable broadband entry nationwide, together with to India’s most distant and underserved areas.
