Elon Musk Backed Starlink Gets the Indian Govt's Approval for Satellite Internet

India has granted Elon Musk’s Starlink a Unified Licence to launch satellite internet services, marking a key moment for the country's growing digital ambitions, as per news reports. Announced by Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, the move comes with a framework for spectrum allocation and gateway setup already in place, promising a smooth rollout. 

The announcement was timed with the 30th anniversary of India’s first cellular call made in 1995, underlining the evolution of the nation’s telecom landscape.

Rising Digital Momentum and Satellite Ambitions

Starlink's entry into India comes alongside pending spectrum allocations for other satellite players, including Bharti Group-backed Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio SES. Scindia praised India’s rapid digital progress, stating, “From remote villages to bustling cities, digital access has empowered citizens, bridged divides, and made India a global leader in affordable, inclusive technology.” 

The minister noted that India now has 1.2 billion telephone connections, and internet subscriptions have surged by 286% to 970 million. Broadband usage soared 1,450% from 60 million in 2014 to 944 million today, while mobile data costs fell 96.6%, making India the cheapest mobile data market globally at just ₹8.9 per GB.

5G, BSNL Revival, and Future Technologies

Scindia highlighted BSNL’s turnaround, reporting back-to-back net profits of ₹262 crore and ₹280 crore in FY24 and FY25, respectively, its first in 18 years. Over 83,000 4G sites have been installed, 74,000 of which are already operational using indigenous tech. India’s 5G expansion has reached 99.6% of districts, supported by 4.74 lakh towers and 300 million users. 

Per capita 5G usage now stands at 32 GB per month, the highest globally. India has also established 100 Use Case Labs and ranks among the top 6 nations in 6G patent filings. The PLI scheme attracted ₹4,305 crore in investment, generated ₹85,391 crore in sales, created over 28,000 jobs, and nearly tripled FDI from $282 million to $710 million.

Read More: Elon Musk Backed Starlink India Limited to 2 Million Users, 200 Mbps Speed: MoS Teleco!

Conclusion 

With Starlink’s licence granted and satellite internet nearing reality, India’s telecom sector continues its upward trajectory. As the nation celebrates three decades since its first cellular call, the pace of progress from affordable data to indigenous 4G and global 6G ambitions underscores India’s standing as a leader in digital innovation.

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