Elon Musk's Starlink gets licence to operate in India, awaiting spectrum allocation now

India has officially approved Starlink, the satellite internet venture led by Elon Musk, to provide its services within the country. This pivotal development positions Starlink to enter one of the world's most rapidly expanding digital markets. The announcement coincides with India commemorating the 30th anniversary of its inaugural cellular phone call, made on July 31, 1995. Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia confirmed the news on Thursday, emphasizing that the necessary regulatory framework is in place to enable a seamless launch of these services. "Starlink has received a Unified License to initiate satellite internet offerings in India. The guidelines for spectrum allocation and gateway establishment are established, ensuring a smooth rollout," Scindia stated, as reported by PTI. Earlier in July, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) had given the green light to Starlink’s application. Although the company, operated by Musk’s SpaceX, initially applied for the license back in 2021, it faced various delays related to spectrum allocation and regulatory processes. This latest approval follows extensive discussions with Indian authorities, marking a crucial advancement in efforts to enhance internet connectivity in underserved and remote areas across the nation. Starlink will now compete alongside other significant players in India's satellite broadband sector, including Eutelsat OneWeb, supported by the Bharti Group, and Jio's collaboration with Luxembourg's SES. While these competitors have also secured the necessary permissions to operate, they are still in the process of obtaining spectrum allocation to commence their commercial services. On this occasion, Scindia also took the opportunity to reflect on India’s digital evolution, stating that the transformation witnessed over the past 11 years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been "nothing short of extraordinary."