India Greenlights Starlink for Satellite Internet Services
India is officially opening its skies to Elon Musk’s Starlink. After months of regulatory hurdles, the Indian government has granted final approval to Starlink to begin satellite broadband operations. This landmark decision positions India as a future hotspot for cutting-edge space-based internet services and brings new hope to remote areas where traditional broadband is still out of reach.
On July 8, 2025, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) gave Starlink the green signal. IN-SPACe, which oversees private participation in India’s space activities, has approved Starlink to operate until July 2030. This authorization includes permission to utilize specific frequency bands, allowing the company to deploy its satellite technology effectively across the country.
Frequency Bands and Technical Approvals
Starlink has received clearance for specific uplink and downlink frequencies to support both gateway and user beams. These include:
- Gateway Uplink: 27.5–29.1 GHz, 29.5–30 GHz
- Gateway Downlink: 17.8–18.6 GHz, 18.8–19.3 GHz
- User Uplink: 14.0–14.5 GHz
- User Downlink: 10.7–12.7 GHz
These signals will use left-hand and right-hand circular polarization, optimizing data flow for high-speed satellite internet.
Starlink Joins the Satellite Elite in India
With this development, Starlink becomes the third company, after Eutelsat OneWeb and Reliance Jio, to receive complete regulatory approval to offer satellite-based broadband in India. The approval follows the recent award of the GMPCS license (Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite) from the Department of Telecommunications.
Next Steps Before Commercial Launch
While the regulatory door is now open, Starlink still has a few critical steps ahead before full-scale rollout. The company must acquire operating spectrum, establish ground-based infrastructure like gateway stations, and pass rigorous national security compliance tests.
Sources suggest Starlink is planning to set up at least three gateway stations across India, with the DoT expected to allocate trial spectrum to test the security protocols and service reliability.
If all goes according to plan, Starlink’s commercial satellite internet service could go live by late 2025 or early 2026.
Expected Pricing and Services
Initial reports indicate that monthly subscription plans in India will be priced between ₹3,000 and ₹4,200, targeting premium users, businesses, and underserved rural populations looking for stable and high-speed connectivity.
Starlink’s satellite broadband promises a game-changing experience—low latency, high-speed internet access, and consistent performance regardless of location, from urban centers to the remotest Himalayan villages.
Why This Matters for India
India still struggles with patchy broadband in many regions, especially in tier-3 cities and rural zones. Starlink has the potential to bridge the country’s digital divide by offering fast, reliable, and accessible internet through its non-geostationary (NGSO) satellite constellation. This can open up new possibilities for education, telemedicine, e-commerce, and digital banking in areas previously left offline.