Starlink cleared for India: Elon Musk's satellite internet to launch soon, plans, prices, and timeline inside

India Today

10-07-2025

Elon Musk's satellite internet project, Starlink, has officially been cleared to offer its services in India. The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), which oversees private sector participation in India's space sector, has given the green signal for Starlink's satellite broadband operations. With this approval, Starlink is now one step closer to bringing satellite-based high-speed internet connectivity to homes and businesses across the country.advertisementThe approval, granted on July 8, allows Starlink to operate its Gen1 satellite constellation over Indian territory. This permission will remain valid until July 7, 2030. In addition to granting operational approval, IN-SPACe has also allocated specific frequency bands that Starlink can use to beam internet from its satellites to ground users in India. The company has been authorised to use a mix of Ka and Ku band frequencies for both uplink and downlink transmissions, which are essential for maintaining reliable satellite internet connectivity.Although this marks a major breakthrough for Starlink's entry into India, the commercial launch won't happen overnight. The company will still need to acquire spectrum from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), establish ground infrastructure such as gateways, and complete required security and compliance procedures. Sources familiar with the matter suggest that if all goes as planned, Starlink may begin offering its services in India by the end of 2025 or early 2026.
Starlink, which is part of Musk's space exploration firm SpaceX, aims to provide internet services via a network of low-Earth orbit satellites. This method is particularly beneficial for users in remote and rural regions, where traditional fibre or mobile networks are either unreliable or unavailable. The system works by delivering internet signals directly from satellites to a small dish installed at the user's location, offering decent speeds even in areas that are not covered by existing broadband infrastructure.Globally, Starlink is already operational in more than 100 countries and has deployed over 6,000 satellites so far. The company plans to expand this to 42,000 satellites in the coming years. In India, Starlink is expected to offer speeds ranging between 25 Mbps and 220 Mbps, depending on the location and satellite coverage. It will also launch with a data capacity of around 600 to 700 Gbps, which could support thousands of users across the country.As for pricing, the full cost of Starlink hardware in India hasn't been officially revealed yet. However, based on global trends, the Standard Kit—which includes a satellite dish, stand, Wi-Fi router, and cables—is likely to cost around Rs 33,000. Monthly subscription plans with unlimited data usage are expected to be priced between Rs 3,000 and Rs 4,200. These plans are targeted at individual households, especially in areas where regular broadband isn't a viable option. In the US, the same hardware is priced at \$349, and the more compact Starlink Mini costs \$599. Whether the Mini version will be introduced in India is still uncertain.Starlink's entry into India could prove to be a game-changer, especially for regions with poor internet infrastructure. It also signals growing support from Indian regulators for private satellite communication services. While a few more approvals and setups are still pending, the groundwork has now been laid, and Starlink is firmly on track to begin operations in India.- Ends