Bharti Airtel joins hands with SpaceX to bring Starlink Internet to India

Bharti Airtel established a partnership with Elon Musk's SpaceX to introduce Starlink satellite broadband services for India. Airtel seeks to establish itself as a fundamental player within the satellite internet sector of India through this latest strategic move.  

Through the distributorship Airtel obtained from Starlink, it can market high-speed satellite internet services throughout India. The strategic alliance between Airtel and SpaceX allows the telecom provider to extend its broadband connectivity, particularly to distant parts of the country where traditional internet infrastructure faces challenges. SpaceX needs to get required approvals from Indian authorities before starting commercial services due to existing deal conditions.  

The recent agreement allows Airtel to examine Starlink equipment sales at its retail outlets while providing Starlink business services to its customers. Through their joint partnership, the businesses will work toward elevating network reach because they intend to connect rural healthcare facilities along with schools and villages.  

The Starlink services intend to reach every corner of India but concentrate first on regions that have inadequate and unstable internet access. Customers can access the distribution service through the wide retail networks operated by Airtel.  

The partnership was officially disclosed by Airtel on March 12 of 2025. Indian launch of Starlink services needs approval from Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Ministry of Home Affairs.  

The rising need for trustworthy internet connectivity across India has made satellite-based broadband a transformative solution that promotes rural internet service. The existing Eutelsat OneWeb investment by Airtel has prompted the company to establish a partnership with Starlink with the goal of enhancing its market share. Starlink expanded its operations because of Reliance Jio’s recent satellite broadband market entry.  

Airtel aims to obtain regulatory approvals before starting Starlink kit distribution from its retail outlets. It is expected that Airtel may generate financial benefits through its partnership with hardware revenue-sharing and subscription agreements. Managed independently from terrestrial broadband networks, Airtel provides the partnership will serve as an addition to current services.