India is moving steadily towards allowing satellite internet providers such as Elon Musk's Starlink to operate in the country, Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia told NDTV Profit in an exclusive interview.
“We are eager to have that auction in India for our customers as soon as possible,” Scindia said. He added that the telecom ministry is “company agnostic and customer centric” in its approach.
Starlink has recently secured a Letter of Intent from the Department of Telecommunications, a key milestone before full licensing, according to people familiar with the matter. The DoT is optimistic about issuing Starlink full licence by mid-June, provided the company accepts all terms unconditionally.
Scindia highlighted that other players like OneWeb and Reliance already hold Satcom licences, and Starlink is “very close” to receiving theirs. “All players will have to get their approval from IN-SPACe in the second stage,” he explained, referring to the government's agency for space sector regulation.
Industry insiders earlier revealed to NDTV Profit that Starlink is preparing for a phased rollout in India, beginning with 600–700 Gbps of satellite capacity, capable of supporting up to 50,000 concurrent users in urban clusters. The network capacity is expected to scale up to 3 terabits per second by 2027, subject to final regulatory clearances.
This service aims to expand beyond business partnerships and target premium direct-to-consumer broadband users in India. Starlink's terminal kits are expected to be priced between Rs 20,000 and Rs 50,000, aligning with global standards. Commercial services could launch within 9–12 months.
Meanwhile, Amazon's Project Kuiper is also gearing up for entry, with the DoT likely to issue a Letter of Intent soon, signalling intensifying competition in India's emerging satellite internet market.
Scindia underscored the government's commitment to expanding last-mile connectivity through new technologies. "My job is to make sure customers have more choice in the telecom sector," he said.
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