Unified licence granted to Starlink for India, Jyotiraditya Scindia confirms

Starlink, the satellite internet venture led by Elon Musk, has received the green light to launch its services across India. This significant milestone was confirmed by Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, who announced that the Department of Telecommunications has granted the company a Unified License. This announcement comes just as India commemorates the 30th anniversary of its first cellular call, marking an important moment in the nation’s satellite communication journey. Minister Scindia emphasized that the necessary frameworks for spectrum allocation and gateway installation are now established, paving the way for a seamless rollout of Starlink's services. The company is set to join other competitors in the satellite communication arena, including Bharti Group-backed Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio SES, both of which are also in the process of securing spectrum allocation to initiate their operations. In highlighting the impressive growth of India’s telecom sector over the past decade, Scindia shared that internet subscriptions have surged by nearly 286 percent, resulting in a total of 970 million users. Telephone connections have also reached a staggering 1.2 billion. Furthermore, broadband usage has skyrocketed by over 1,450 percent since 2014, increasing from 60 million to 944 million connections. Notably, the cost of mobile data has plummeted by more than 96 percent, with an average price of ₹8.9 per GB. The government has also reported a turnaround for Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), which has now returned to profitability for the first time in nearly two decades, posting net profits of ₹262 crore and ₹280 crore in consecutive years. BSNL has installed over 83,000 4G sites, primarily utilizing domestically developed technology. The rollout of 5G services has further transformed the telecommunications landscape, achieving coverage in 99.6 percent of districts. India has erected approximately 4.74 lakh 5G towers and boasts over 300 million 5G users, leading globally in data consumption with an average monthly per capita usage of 32 GB. Scindia also noted that India ranks among the top six countries for 6G patent filings, having launched 100 6G Use Case Labs, indicating its forward-thinking approach to future technology. Under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, investments in telecom manufacturing have reached ₹4,305 crore, generating sales exceeding ₹85,000 crore and creating over 28,000 jobs. The sector has seen foreign direct investment nearly triple, rising from $282 million to $710 million. Industry experts have reflected on the significant progress made in India’s telecommunications sector over the past 30 years. SP Kochhar, Director General of the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), noted that the country now has over 1.2 billion telecom subscribers, with individual data usage surpassing 21 GB per month. The transition from 2G to widespread 5G access illustrates the sector's rapid advancement. Telecom leaders like Mahendra Nahata of HFCL and Paritosh Prajapati of GX Group highlighted the pivotal moment for the industry, emphasizing the importance of government initiatives in fostering domestic innovation and manufacturing. The licensing of Starlink aligns with India's goal of enhancing internet access in rural and remote regions through satellite technology, furthering its commitment to digital connectivity and development. (With contributions from PTI)