Elon Musk’s satellite internet service, Starlink, is set to launch in India after getting the green light from the telecom ministry. This is a big step forward after a long wait since 2022.
India is a huge market with over 1.4 billion people. The satellite internet market there could be worth $1.9 billion by 2030, according to Deloitte. This has caught the attention of big players like Amazon and OneWeb.
But Starlink’s mission in India won’t be easy. It’s going up against Mukesh Ambani, the billionaire owner of Reliance Jio, which dominates India’s telecom market. The two have been arguing over how to allocate spectrum for satellite services.
In the end, the Indian government decided to support a spectrum allocation approach rather than an auction. This allowed Starlink to apply for a license and become the third company, after OneWeb and Jio, to get approved for satellite services in India.
Even with the telecom ministry’s approval, Starlink still needs to get additional licenses from India’s space agency and pass strict safety tests. This process will take several months, after which it can start selling equipment and officially launch its commercial service.