Elon Musk's Starlink Gets in-Principle Approval from Indian Government

Elon Musk's satellite internet venture, Starlink, has received in-principle approval from India's telecommunications ministry, paving the way for the company to offer broadband services in the country, according to sources who told TOI about this.

The approval comes just days before Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's visit to India, where he is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to officials familiar with the matter cited in the TOI report, the telecom ministry has examined Starlink's application and found it to comply with relevant guidelines on issues such as foreign investment and financial standing. The technical requirements have also been evaluated based on licensing conditions.

However, the final nod is still awaiting clearance from the Home Affairs Ministry on certain security aspects. Once approved, Starlink will be granted a Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite Services license to launch operations.

Some of the conditions imposed on Starlink include storing all customer data within India and ensuring satellite data beams transmitted over Indian airspace terminate at local gateways only. The company has reportedly assured authorities it has solutions to address national security concerns.

Starlink aims to provide high-speed broadband globally using a growing constellation of satellites in low-earth orbit. The service offers internet access in remote locations with limited connectivity. In the US, the average download speed on Starlink is around 67Mbps.

The approval boosts SpaceX founder Elon Musk's plans to visit India later this month to expand Starlink's presence and bring high-speed internet to more regions across the country.