Starlink says talks with India remain productive as it awaits final clearance

Elon Musk's satellite internet provider, Starlink, said talks with the Indian government about its potential to support the country’s connectivity goals have been productive and that the company awaits final regulatory clearance to begin commercial operations.

Starlink has already secured a licence to offer satellite broadband services in India and has established ground infrastructure to meet regulatory and enforcement requirements. The company is now awaiting final approval, including spectrum allocation, before launching services.

‘Misleading stories’

“Starlink remains in active and productive discussions with the Government of India, contrary to misleading stories based upon unsubstantiated claims from anonymous sources. We have worked with the Government through all of the required regulatory and compliance processes transparently and responsibly," Lauren Dreyer, Vice President of Starlink Business Operations, said in a post on social media platform X on Wednesday.

Also read: Elon Musk 'looking forward' to serving India with Starlink

Her comments came in response to media reports that said India had effectively frozen approvals for Starlink's commercial launch over concerns related to the use of its satellite terminals during the Iran conflict.

All regulatory, compliance processes completed

Alongside Starlink, the Indian government has issued licences to Bharti Group-backed Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio-SES Space Technology Ltd. All three companies are awaiting spectrum allocation before rolling out services.

As required under Indian regulations, all user traffic on Starlink's network will be routed exclusively through ground infrastructure established within the country.

“We have heard nothing but encouraging feedback on Starlink's capabilities and its potential to advance India's connectivity ambitions, especially in remote and underserved regions. We remain fully committed to India and to working with the government to bring Starlink's services very soon to the country," Dreyer said.

Also read: INSPACe grants license to Starlink for satellite internet in India

She added that Starlink had completed all required regulatory and compliance processes and had developed a country-specific operating model to meet India's security and regulatory requirements.

Bespoke deployment model

Dreyer said Starlink has set up a "bespoke deployment model for India" to align with the country's sovereign technology, regulatory, and security requirements.

“To align with India's sovereign technology, regulatory, and security requirements, Starlink has set up a bespoke deployment model for India that further demonstrates our commitment to working within India's strategic framework," she said.

Starlink is SpaceX's satellite broadband service, designed to provide high-speed internet connectivity through a constellation of thousands of low-Earth orbit satellites. Unlike traditional satellite services that rely on satellites positioned much farther from Earth, Starlink's low-orbit network is intended to reduce latency and improve speeds, making it suitable for applications such as video streaming, online gaming, and real-time communications.

Also read: Starlink’s India deal: A Trojan Horse for Jio and Airtel or a masterstroke?

The service operates in dozens of countries and has been used to improve connectivity in remote areas from North America and Australia to parts of Africa, as well as to support communications during emergencies.

(With inputs from agencies)