Marking one of the final steps before the company rolls out its commercial satellite broadband services in the country, Elon Musk’s Starlink has initiated security tests in India. The ongoing tests form part of India’s mandatory security clearance process for both foreign and domestic telecom operators. However, the SpaceX-owned network still requires the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) guidelines to release its final pricing framework for satellite services.
Should the regulator issue the guidelines by the end of this year, Musk’s company could start delivering internet connectivity to Indian homes by early 2026.
SpaceX is reportedly setting up at least 10 satellite gateways across India more than triple the number proposed by its two principal rivals, Reliance Jio’s Space Fiber and Eutelsat Communications’ OneWeb.
Mumbai, where SpaceX has already completed three ground stations, will serve as the company’s India hub. Officials are expected to begin on-site inspections shortly.
Earlier at the beginning of the year, regulators granted Starlink approval to launch its satellite broadband operations and allocated dedicated frequency bands. This clearance follows years of effort by the US company to establish a presence in a country with over 900 million internet users.
India’s satellite communications sector has been gaining momentum as the government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi opens up the space economy to private enterprises. The administration is encouraging satellite operators to fill coverage gaps left by conventional fibre and mobile networks.
Starlink’s entry into India could help SpaceX offset its exclusion from China, where the government continues to restrict market access for foreign telecom operators.
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