NEW DELHI: Elon Musk-led Starlink has received provisional spectrum to begin trial satellite broadband services in India, ahead of a full-scale commercial launch. According to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Starlink will initially set up satellite broadband infrastructure at ten locations across the country, with Mumbai serving as the central hub.
“Starlink got a provisional spectrum to provide satellite broadband services in India a few days back. The company has initial plans to set up base stations at ten locations in the country, with its hub in Mumbai,” a senior DoT official said.
With the trial spectrum in hand, Starlink is now required to build its ground infrastructure and demonstrate compliance with India's security regulations through testing and trials. However, the official added that the company is still awaiting the arrival of critical equipment, including landing station hardware that connects satellite signals to terrestrial internet networks.
However, full-scale services will only begin after final spectrum allocation. The DoT is currently deliberating on reserve pricing and other key terms. “The Digital Communications Commission (DCC), the top decision-making body of the DoT, will soon hold a meeting to finalize pricing and other details. Once that takes place, we will send our recommendations to TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India). Then DoT will allocate spectrum to these players after which companies can commence commercial services,” the official added. Regarding customer pricing, the official said Starlink’s services in India will be more affordable than those in neighboring countries like Bhutan and Bangladesh, where users currently pay around ₹3,000 per month along with an installation fee of ₹30,000.
“I believe Starlink’s pricing in India will be lower—around two-thirds of what it charges in Bhutan and Bangladesh—due to the significantly larger customer base here,” the official stated.
Satellite communication (Satcom) enables the transmission of data and voice through satellites, especially in areas where laying fiber-optic cables is impractical. It is particularly valuable in remote, mountainous, or disaster-prone regions where traditional infrastructure is expensive or impossible to deploy.
Starlink has been attempting to enter the Indian satellite broadband market since 2021. However, the company had started accepting pre-orders before receiving regulatory approval, prompting the government to instruct it to refund customers. Currently, Starlink operates in over 125 countries.
Meanwhile, the application from Jeff Bezos-owned Amazon Kuiper is still pending approval. Apple’s Satcom partner Globalstar is also among the global players reportedly exploring opportunities to offer satellite broadband services in India.
In a recent development, Starlink has partnered with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to enable seamless Aadhaar-based customer verification for its services.