Overview
- The state signed a Letter of Intent in Mumbai on November 5 with Starlink, represented by vice president Lauren Dreyer and IT secretary Virendra Singh, in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
- Early deployments target government schools, primary health centres, disaster control rooms, coastal and forest outposts, and rural communities in priority districts including Gadchiroli, Nandurbar, Dharashiv and Washim.
- A joint working group will oversee a 90‑day pilot with 30/60/90‑day milestones and quarterly reviews chaired by the chief minister under the Digital Maharashtra mission.
- Service activation remains subject to Department of Telecommunications approvals and spectrum allocation; Starlink already holds a GMPCS licence and has conducted security and technical demonstrations.
- Starlink is preparing Indian ground infrastructure with reported gateway sites in cities such as Mumbai, Noida, Kolkata, Chandigarh and Lucknow, and media report a broader commercial launch could come as early 2026.