Elon Musk renews Starlink bid for India

Elon Musk has made a fresh public appeal for Starlink to be allowed to compete in India, where the satellite internet service is yet to start commercial operations.

Musk posted a message on X on Friday, asking if Starlink could be allowed to compete in the country. He wrote, "There are many areas of India, as there are in all countries, with no Internet access, which denies children the opportunity for education and for small businesses the opportunity to sell their goods to a global market. Starlink would change their lives for the better."

Starlink is yet to start commercial operations in India. According to an ET report, it has a satellite communication permit and authorisation from the space regulator but is awaiting security clearance.

On Wednesday, Musk alleged that Starlink’s entry into India is being blocked by unnamed “oligarchs” seeking to protect a “monopolistic chokehold” on the market.

On Thursday, Musk questioned why Starlink, which he said is licensed in more than 165 countries, is still waiting for an Indian licence after five years of complying with government requirements.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi replied to the post on X, saying, “Welcome to India, Elon. Wait till you discover the other guy.” Musk responded, “Thank you, Rahul. This is indeed troubling.”

The Ministry of Communications on Thursday dismissed the claims of bias as “baseless and misconceived”, according to an ET report. The statement did not name Musk or Starlink.

The ministry said the government has put in place a fair and non-discriminatory authorisation framework for all telecom services, including satellite communication. It said telecom licences have been granted to three satellite communication operators and that each of them must show compliance with security conditions.

A security assessment is under way for all three licensees, the ministry said. Once it is completed for a licensee, that company can seek assignment of spectrum. At present, all three are at broadly the same regulatory stage, it said.

Starlink’s India plans have been delayed for several years. In November 2021, the Ministry of Communications told the public not to subscribe to Starlink services after the company began taking bookings without a licence.

Starlink had been waiting since 2022 for a licence to operate commercially in India, according to a PTI report. The report said the delays came from reasons including national security concerns.

Starlink has also clashed with Jio over how spectrum for satellite services should be granted. The report said India sided with Starlink’s view that spectrum should be assigned administratively and not auctioned.

In March 2025, Starlink signed agreements with Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio covering network equipment distribution, business connectivity and rural connectivity.

Starlink got its licence in June 2025, becoming the third satcom company to do so after Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications, according to a PTI report. Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had told reporters that the third licence would be issued in the coming days.

In July 2025, the space regulator IN-SPACe authorised Starlink’s Gen 1 constellation of 4,408 satellites. It had earlier rejected the company’s application for a proposed 30,000-satellite constellation, citing non-conformity of certain features and spectrum bands.

Also in July 2025, Minister of State for Communications Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar said Starlink would be limited to 20 lakh customers in India, with speeds of up to 200 Mbps. He said the service is expected to mainly target rural and remote areas.

On August 20, ET was the first to report that Starlink had resubmitted an application to IN-SPACe for authorisation of its Gen 2 constellation. The application seeks approval for a low Earth orbit constellation with newer capabilities, including direct-to-device connectivity, according to the ET report.

At the India Mobile Congress on Wednesday, Lauren Dreyer, SpaceX vice president for Starlink business operations, said the company had built 20 gateway sites and hundreds of antennas in India.

She said Starlink had adapted its operations to Indian security and regulatory requirements and was keeping Indian user data within the country. She said the company had spent five years working with Indian regulators, industry and telecom operators ahead of its proposed entry.

Starlink has signed letters of intent with Maharashtra and Meghalaya to explore connectivity for remote communities and public institutions.

Commercial satellite services by non-geostationary operators have yet to begin in India, with security clearances and spectrum allocation among the issues involved. Trai has made recommendations on pricing for satellite spectrum, but the government is yet to take a final decision.

Trai is also examining direct-to-device services, which could let satellite networks supplement mobile connectivity directly to consumer devices. Traditional telecom operators have argued that satellite companies offering such services should face comparable regulatory obligations.

Starlink is not the only company awaiting final approvals. Bharti Group-backed Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite also have the required satcom permit and space-sector authorisation but are awaiting security clearance. Amazon Leo is also competing for a share of the market.

Scindia has said satellite telecom will help provide connectivity in remote interior places where conventional services are costly.

The dispute comes as Washington presses for wider access to foreign markets for American companies. Trump has said a trade deal with India should open the Indian market to US firms. “We are going to have access to India,” he told reporters in 2025.

Starlink’s entry into India gained currency after Donald Trump returned to the US presidency, with Musk described as a close aide of Trump.