‘Looking Forward To Serve India’: Elon Musk As Starlink Official Meets Telecom Minister | World News

Elon Musk(Getty Images)

Tech mogul and SpaceX chief Elon Musk on Wednesday said that he is looking to serve India with satellite-based internet service, Starlink.

While replying to a post of Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia meeting Starlink leadership, Musk said, “Looking forward to serving India with @Starlink!”

Earlier today, the Union Minister of Communications met Starlink Business Operations at SpaceX Vice President Lauren Dreyer and senior company officials to discuss expanding satellite-based last-mile internet access across India.

“A pleasure to meet @LaurenDreyer, Vice President of @Starlink Business Operations (SpaceX) and the senior leadership team to discuss advancing satellite-based last-mile access across India,” Scindia said in a post on X.

He further emphasised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a digitally empowered nation, saying that satellite connectivity will be crucial for bridging the digital divide in remote and rural regions and accelerating inclusive development.

“As we work to advance PM @narendramodi ji’s vision of a digitally empowered India, satellite technology will play a pivotal role in extending connectivity to the most remote parts of the country & strengthening internet access to every citizen in rural and hard-to-reach regions, ensuring that digital inclusion accelerates broader development,” he added.

What Is Starlink?

Starlink is a satellite-based internet service operated by SpaceX, the company founded by Elon Musk.

It uses a large constellation of low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellites to provide high-speed internet, especially in remote or rural areas where traditional broadband is limited or unavailable.

In early June, Starlink received clearance from the Indian space regulator, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe). Starlink was provided with a license by the government to launch GMPCS (Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite) services, VSAT Services and ISP Category-A under unified license.

Maharashtra has become the first state in India to partner with Musk’s firm to bring satellite-based internet connectivity to remote and rural areas. The company signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Starlink Satellite Communications Private Limited during a meeting with Dreyer in Mumbai.

When Will It Launch In India?

Starlink has received the approvals to operate in India. The company is completing a few critical steps, including setting up points of presence, securing SATCOM gateway approvals, acquiring licences for network equipment, and obtaining spectrum. Considering these requirements, the launch is expected as early as next quarter. However, Elon Musk or the company have not shared any official timeline for launch yet.

In a podcast with Zerodha founder Nikhil Kamath, Musk said the company would love to bring its low-cost, reliable Starlink internet services to India, adding that it is already operating in more than 150 countries.

“SpaceX is doing great work with the Starlink programme, providing low-cost, reliable internet throughout the world, and hopefully, India. We’d love to be operating in India. That would be great. We are operating in 150 different countries now, with Starlink,” he had said.

The firm also revealed the monthly price for its residential plan in India after months of speculation. Starlink will offer a residential plan at Rs 8,600 per month along with a Rs 34,000 hardware fee that provides unlimited data, 99.9 per cent uptime and weather-resistance connectivity. Moreover, there’s a 30-day trial period available for new users.

According to reports, Starlink is expected to deliver internet speeds ranging between 25 Mbps and 220 Mbps. While these speeds may not impress users in urban centres already served by fibre broadband, they could be a game-changer for rural India.

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