Rama Krishna Sangem
Starlink, Elon Musk’s satellite internet venture, has received regulatory approval from India’s Ministry of Telecommunications. With the green light now given, Starlink is preparing to roll out its broadband service in India within the next 12 months, as per NDTV news report. The company aims to bring satellite-based internet to underserved and rural areas, offering high-speed connectivity via low-Earth orbit (LEO) technology.
Starlink secured a crucial license from the Ministry of Telecommunications. This development positions Starlink alongside Bharti Airtel’s OneWeb and Reliance Jio’s satellite arm as one of the few entities permitted to offer satellite-based internet in the country.
This licence is a major step forward, clearing the way for commercial operations and infrastructure deployment in India.
As per reports by CNBC Awaaz, Starlink will charge ₹3,000 per month for unlimited satellite internet access. The required receiver kit will cost a one-time fee of ₹33,000.
Earlier, Starlink’s India operations had hinted at a higher pricing model. Sanjay Bhargava, former India head, estimated the first-year cost at ₹1.58 lakh, dropping to ₹1.15 lakh in later years. The latest plan aligns closely with Starlink’s rollout in Bangladesh, which follows a similar model.
Starlink will deliver between 600 and 700 Gbps bandwidth via its constellation of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. The network is designed to serve remote and rural areas where traditional broadband and mobile data services are limited or unavailable.
Although India has among the world’s cheapest mobile data rates, Starlink targets consumers in areas with little to no access to terrestrial internet, offering premium connectivity where it’s needed most.
Starlink has already launched services in several Asian markets, including Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bhutan, the Philippines, and Bangladesh.
Residential Lite plans across these regions generally range between ₹2,600 to ₹3,000 monthly, while full standard plans can range between ₹4,000 and ₹6,000, depending on local infrastructure and demand.
In Bangladesh, the first-year cost is around ₹66,000, similar to the proposed cost model for India.
With regulatory approval in hand and competitive pricing in place, Starlink is set to become a major player in India’s satellite internet space. While some regulatory hurdles remain, its focus on connecting rural and remote regions positions it to fill a critical gap in the country’s digital infrastructure
