Starlink nears India launch with Maharashtra partnership

Starlink, the satellite internet company founded by Elon Musk under SpaceX, is preparing to launch its services in India. The company has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with the Government of Maharashtra to expand high-speed satellite broadband connectivity across the state. The development was announced by Maharashtra’s chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis.

Lauren Dreyer, Vice President of Starlink, was in Mumbai to formalise the collaboration with the state government. The partnership will begin once all necessary licences and clearances are in place. Initially, Starlink plans to focus on business-to-business (B2B) services, while gradually expanding into the business-to-consumer (B2C) market.

The collaboration aims to bring high-speed connectivity to remote and underserved regions of Maharashtra, including tribal schools, primary health centres, disaster control rooms, forest outposts, coastal zones, and aspirational districts such as Gadchiroli, Nandurbar, Dharashiv, and Washim.

In addition to improving digital access for healthcare and education, the initiative will support smart connectivity along major infrastructure corridors such as the Samruddhi Mahamarg expressway, ferries, coastal vehicles and ports, and coastal police networks.

A 90-day pilot rollout will be jointly managed by a collaborative working group, with progress milestones set at 30, 60, and 90 days. The Chief Minister will chair quarterly reviews of the pilot’s implementation.

The pilot phase will focus on connecting government and tribal schools, Aaple Sarkar centres, and primary health centres; enhancing coastal surveillance and disaster response communications; enabling the delivery of healthcare and education through high-speed satellite connectivity; and building local capacity through training programmes for state agencies and communities.

Starlink’s entry into India comes as the country continues to strengthen digital inclusion under the government’s Digital India initiative. Satellite-based broadband is regarded as a crucial tool for connecting rural and geographically challenging areas where terrestrial networks remain inadequate.

Starlink has already secured two major regulatory approvals from the Government of India,  a Global Mobile Personal Communications by Satellite (GMPCS) licence from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), and authorisation from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) to operate its satellite constellation.

Although the company has obtained key operating permits and signed agreements, it is still awaiting the government’s allocation of spectrum before beginning full commercial operations. Once approved, Starlink is expected to join other global and domestic players such as Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio SpaceX (Jio SES) in providing space-based broadband services to Indian users. The LoI, signed on wednesday, represents a significant step towards extending internet access to remote and underserved areas of the country that currently lack fibre connectivity.

While the affordability of Starlink’s services may affect adoption, given relatively high subscription costs in neighbouring countries, the move marks a potentially significant step in India’s digital transformation. It promises wider access to reliable, high-speed internet and supports the vision of a more connected and digitally empowered nation.