NEW DELHI: The government may ease some conditions for issuing a licence to Elon Musk-led Starlink, which seeks to launch satellite broadband services in India. According to senior officials from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Starlink has requested exemptions from certain provisions, citing technical limitations, to operate in India. The officials stated that the government will consider the request and look for a middle-ground solution.
Starlink applied for the Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) license in October 2022. A GMPCS licence is issued by the government for 20 years, allowing companies to offer satellite communication services within licensed service areas.
“Starlink has agreed to most of the licensing terms and has committed to addressing the government’s security concerns. However, the company has expressed that a few conditions are technically infeasible. We will work with Starlink to find a mutually agreeable solution,” said the official.
Currently, the government has issued licenses to Bharti Group-backed OneWeb and the Jio-SES joint venture -- Jio Satellite Communications -- to provide satellite communication services in India. While Elon Musk-led Starlink and Amazon’s Project Kuiper have applied for licenses, neither has been approved by the government yet.
As per the license requirements for GMPCS service, the licensee must use satellites only for authorised services over Indian territory, excluding activities that could compromise national sovereignty and security, such as surveillance or electronic warfare. The licensee will also be required to create a buffer zone along international borders where services are prohibited, with the specific width determined by the Indian government.
Additionally, the licensee must provide call data records to security agencies upon request. Satellite broadband providers cannot use bulk encryption equipment without prior approval from the government, and foreign personnel deployed by the licensee must obtain security clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs. All calls originating or terminating in India must pass through a GMPCS Gateway located in India.
Another official noted that there are technical challenges for Starlink in fulfilling all the conditions required for the license to operate in the country. “However, we will take an undertaking from the company to fulfill these conditions in the future or whenever it becomes feasible,” the official added.
Last week, Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia stated that Elon Musk’s Starlink would receive a service license provided it meets the government’s conditions and addresses security concerns.