Starlink Set To Appoint India CEO, Plans Commercial Launch By December

Starlink, the satellite internet unit of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, is preparing to appoint a chief executive for its India operations ahead of a planned launch by the end of 2025, according to people familiar with the matter.

The company made its first hire for the India business about 10 months ago, appointing a company secretary in New Delhi. Starlink is now building a core team, which is expected to be based in the capital, where it has set up a temporary office.

Parnil Urdhwareshe, Starlink’s global licensing head, is leading the company’s engagement with Indian authorities. He has handled regulatory clearances, including the Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) licence, and will continue to oversee licensing matters during the operational setup phase.

Starlink plans to offer high-speed, low-latency internet using its low-earth orbit satellite network, targeting underserved and remote regions across India. The appointment of an India CEO and formation of a local team mark a key step in its efforts to enter the market.

The company first announced its India plans in 2021, when it began accepting pre-bookings without securing a licence. Regulators later ordered a halt to the activity and the company refunded over 5,000 customers. Starlink formally applied for a GMPCS licence in November 2022, beginning a two-year regulatory approval process.

On June 6, 2025, India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) granted Starlink a Unified Licence. The permit includes GMPCS, Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT), and Internet Service Provider (ISP) Category-A services. Starlink became the third company after Eutelsat OneWeb and Reliance Jio to receive such authorisation. The approval followed commitments on national security, including lawful interception and local infrastructure deployment.

On July 8, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) gave Starlink final clearance to operate its first-generation satellite constellation over India until July 7, 2030. The decision followed several rounds of consultation and resolved disagreements on spectrum allocation. The government opted for administrative spectrum assignment, which aligns with Starlink’s position.

Starlink is now preparing for a commercial rollout. The DoT is expected to allocate trial spectrum soon, allowing the company to demonstrate compliance with technical and security requirements. Starlink must also build ground infrastructure, including gateways, earth stations, and a network operations centre. This process is likely to take several months.