Elon Musk-owned Starlink has received final regulatory clearance from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) to roll out its satellite-based internet services in India, according to media sources.
The clearance follows the Indian government’s earlier decision in June 2025 to grant Starlink a licence to operate Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS), Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT), and Internet Service Provider (ISP) Category-A services under the Unified Licence framework.
With this approval, Starlink becomes the third firm after OneWeb and Reliance Jio to gain regulatory permission for satellite communication (satcom) services in India.
Starlink Satellite Communications Private Limited (SSCPL), the Indian subsidiary, has been granted a five-year authorisation to deploy and operate its Starlink Gen1 low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation, which consists of 4,408 satellites orbiting between 540–570 km above Earth. This network will offer a potential 600 Gbps throughput over India.
“IN-SPACe authorisation to SSCPL has a validity period of five years from the date of authorisation or end of operational life of Gen1 constellation – whichever is earlier. The roll-out of services is subject to the stipulated regulatory provisions and requisite clearance/approval/license from the relevant government department(s),” IN-SPACe stated.
Starlink, which currently serves over 5 million subscribers globally, aims to tap into India’s growing demand for high-speed internet—particularly in remote and rural areas with limited access to traditional broadband infrastructure.
To facilitate distribution, Starlink has reportedly partnered with Indian telecom giants Airtel and Jio, leveraging their extensive dealer networks to reach consumers across urban and rural markets alike.
Experts anticipate that while the primary focus will be underserved regions, urban users may also be drawn to Starlink’s broadband offerings as backup connectivity or for the novelty of satellite internet.
The move is seen as a major boost to the Digital India initiative, enhancing digital inclusion and connectivity in regions where laying terrestrial infrastructure is economically or logistically challenging.