Piyush Goyal Meets Starlink Delegation, Discusses Future Investment Plans In India

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday met a delegation of satellite internet services provider Starlink and discussed their existing partnerships and future investment plans in India.

"Met a delegation from @Starlink, comprising of Vice President Chad Gibbs & Senior Director, Ryan Goodnight. Discussions covered Starlink's cutting-edge technology platform, their existing partnerships and future investment plans in India," Goyal said in a post on X.

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio in March announced a pact with Elon Musk's SpaceX to bring Starlink satellite internet services in India. Telecom tycoon Sunil Bharti Mittal's Bharti Airtel has also signed a similar partnership deal with SpaceX.

The meeting comes at a crucial juncture when permission for Elon Musk- owned Starlink is stuck for security clearance. It also comes against the backdrop of ongoing negotiations for a proposed bilateral trade agreement between New Delhi and Washington.

The two sides have aimed at finalising the first phase of the pact by fall (September-October) this year.

Meanwhile, the government has already granted license to Startlink rivals Bharti Group-backed Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications for about one-and-a-half years for providing satellite internet services.

However, these companies are yet to start their operation as the government has so far not finalised spectrum allocation rules.

Starlink is considered to be a disruptor in this segment as it operates the world's biggest constellation of over 6,750 satellites whereas Eutelsat OneWeb has little over 600 satellites and Jio's satellite partners operate nearly 70.

Jio and Airtel have opposed the proposed satellite allocation rules for satcom spectrum.

In February this year in Washington, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a meeting with Musk, where they discussed issues around space, mobility, technology and innovation.

In early March, Mittal signalled softening of stand for satcom players at Mobile World Congress where he made a pitch for partnership between telecom operators and satcom players.

Within a fortnight, his company Bharti Airtel signed a partnership agreement with Starlink. Airtel's rival Jio also signed a similar pact the next day.

Starlink operations can begin only after the company gets a licence post security clearance and spectrum allocation from the government.

The spectrum allocation process will begin after telecom regulator Trai firms up its recommendation on the subject.