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India Grants Starlink Initial Approval for Satellite Internet Services

Elon Musk's Starlink secures a Letter of Intent from India’s Department of Telecommunications, marking a significant step toward launching services in the country.

Image
Tesla CEO Elon Musk looks on during a cabinet meeting at the White House on April 30, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
In this photo illustration, the Starlink logo is seen
In preparation for deployment, Starlink has signed agreements with Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel.

Overview

  • Starlink has received a Letter of Intent (LoI) from India’s Department of Telecommunications, conditional on meeting 29 stringent security and localisation requirements.
  • The company must still secure final licensing, spectrum allocation from TRAI, and approval from India’s space regulator, IN-SPACe, before commercial rollout.
  • Starlink has partnered with Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel to distribute its satellite internet services, targeting underserved and remote areas of India.
  • The U.S. government has been actively advocating for Starlink in trade discussions, with allegations surfacing of potential conflicts of interest involving the Trump administration and Elon Musk.
  • India’s approval of Starlink is seen as a potential facilitator in broader U.S.-India trade negotiations, amid growing competition in the satellite internet market from players like OneWeb and Amazon’s Project Kuiper.