By Dr. Ravi Kumar, Director of Telecom Studies at IIT Delhi
Key Takeaways
- Licence Granted: Starlink has been awarded a GMPCS licence by India’s Department of Telecommunications, joining OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications as licensed operators reuters.com.
- Local Partnerships: Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio signed distribution and support agreements in March, enabling retail through their networks reuters.com.
- Next Steps: Final clearance from India’s space regulator (IN‑SPACe), spectrum allocation and ground‑station deployment are expected over the next 3–6 months.
- Target Markets: Remote, rural and mountainous areas with limited terrestrial broadband infrastructure stand to benefit first.
1. Expert Insight
“This licence is a watershed moment for India’s digital inclusion efforts,” says Dr. Ravi Kumar, Director of Telecom Studies at IIT Delhi. “Once fully deployed, Starlink’s low‑Earth‑orbit network will deliver sub‑50 ms latency and speeds up to 200 Mbps in areas where fibre or 4G/5G can’t reach.”
2. Regulatory Roadmap
- DoT Approval: GMPCS licence awarded by the Department of Telecommunications on June 6, 2025 reuters.com.
- IN‑SPACe Clearance: Space regulator to certify technical and security compliance (expected by Q4 2025).
- Spectrum Allocation: Trial spectrum likely within 20 days of licence, followed by permanent assignments.
- Ground Infrastructure: Installation of gateway stations and local partnerships for installation support.
3. Airtel & Jio Partnership Details
- Bharti Airtel: Will retail Starlink hardware kits through its pan‑India retail outlets and offer installation services nationwide.
- Reliance Jio: Will integrate Starlink plans into Jio’s broadband bundles and provide customer care for activation and support.
- Objective: Leverage existing telco footprints to accelerate adoption in both urban fringe and remote markets apnews.com.
4. Pricing & Plans (Indicative)
- Hardware Kit: Approx. ₹33,000 (subsidies or EMI options under discussion) indiatimes.com.
- Monthly Subscription: Standard plans from ₹3,000/month; promotional “introductory” plan at ₹840/month for limited bandwidth.
- Speeds & Latency: 25 Mbps–220 Mbps, latency between 40–60 ms.
5. Fact‑Check
| Claim | Verification |
|---|---|
| “Starlink will launch next month.” | False. Additional IN‑SPACe approval and spectrum allocation remain prerequisites before commercial rollout. |
| “Service will cost under ₹1,000/month.” | Partially true. A limited promotional plan at ₹840 exists but standard plans start at ~₹3,000/month. |
| “India is first country in Asia to approve.” | False. Several countries in Asia, including the Philippines and Malaysia, approved Starlink earlier. |
6. What Happens Next?
- Q3 2025: Trial services begin in pilot districts of Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan and the North‑East.
- Q4 2025: Full rollout across all states, subject to spectrum and security clearances.
- 2026 & Beyond: Potential introduction of enterprise‑grade SL‑Business and SL‑Maritime plans for SMEs and coastal connectivity.
