Elon Musk-led Starlink has secured the final regulatory approval needed to start commercial operations in India, as per a report by Reuters. Citing its three sources familiar with the matter, Reuters reported that the clearance came from India’s space regulator, ending a long wait for the satellite internet provider to enter the Indian market.
Last month, Starlink received a key licence from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). However, it was still awaiting a go-ahead from the Department of Space, which has now reportedly granted the approval. This marks the end of all major regulatory requirements for the company.
Starlink is now third satellite player in India
With this clearance, Starlink becomes the third company to receive India’s approval to offer satellite broadband services. Eutelsat’s OneWeb and Reliance Jio have already secured permissions to operate in the country.
Starlink must complete these key steps before rollout
According to Reuters, despite the licence, Starlink still needs to acquire spectrum from the Indian government, build ground infrastructure, and prove through testing and trials that it meets all security requirements before launching services.
Musk vs Ambani: Spectrum debate ends in Musk’s favour
Starlink’s India entry faced delays due to policy disagreements, particularly on how the satellite spectrum should be allocated. Elon Musk and Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio clashed over the issue for months. While Jio advocated for spectrum auctions, Musk pushed for administrative allocation. The Indian government eventually supported Starlink’s stance and decided that spectrum for satellite services will be assigned, not auctioned.
Neither Starlink nor the Department of Space has responded to Reuters’ requests for comment on the latest development.
With inputs from Reuters