Starlink has received a commercial licence to operate in India, according to two sources cited by Reuters on Friday, marking a significant step forward for Elon Musk’s satellite internet venture in South Asia.
The approval from the Department of Telecommunications clears a critical barrier for Starlink’s commercial licence in India, a goal the company has pursued since 2022. This comes amid mounting pressure on Musk, whose ongoing dispute with U.S. President Donald Trump could impact $22 billion in SpaceX contracts.
With this approval, Starlink becomes the third firm licensed by India’s telecoms ministry, joining Eutelsat’s OneWeb and Reliance Jio in the country’s satellite internet race.
Though the Department of Telecommunications and Starlink have not commented officially, sources say further regulatory hurdles remain. The company must still obtain a separate licence from India’s space regulator, a process reportedly near completion.
Afterward, Starlink must acquire spectrum, build ground infrastructure, and pass rigorous security trials before it can begin selling its services. One source indicated that this phase could take several months.
In a strategic move earlier this year, Jio and Bharti Airtel partnered with Musk to stock Starlink devices in their stores. However, they will continue to compete in the satellite broadband space.
Starlink and Jio were previously at odds over India’s spectrum allocation strategy, with the government ultimately supporting Musk’s view of assigned, rather than auctioned, spectrum.
India’s telecom regulator recently proposed a 4% annual revenue fee for satellite operators, a move criticized by domestic companies for being too lenient.
Deloitte estimates India’s satellite broadband market could reach $1.9 billion by 2030, making it a lucrative target for players like Starlink and Amazon’s Kuiper, which is still awaiting its licence.
