Starlink wins approval in India
November 1, 2024
SpaceX’s Starlink has received “in principle” approval by India’s Telecom ministry to begin services in the country. Starlink joins Eutelsat’s OneWeb in having some key approvals granted.
However, while OneWeb is focused on working with the Bharti Airtel telco and will not supply broadband to individual consumers, Starlink will be targeting individual users throughout India and in particular those users in rural and remote areas.
But there are still hurdles to be overcome. For example, India’s Ministry of Home Affairs has yet to approve Starlink over potential security concerns.
Nevertheless, Starlink is now closer than ever to receiving these final permissions – and associated spectrum – having waited more than three years since the broadband service was first available to India. India’s potential for Starlink is significant, and could be measured in millions.