New Delhi:
In a sign that Elon Musk’s Starlink is set to enter India soon, Union Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has posted a welcome message for the company on social media.
Both Airtel and Jio, which are India’s largest telecom operators and internet service providers, have signed deals with Starlink to offer its satellite-based broadband internet services, but the agreements are contingent on Mr Musk’s company getting authorisation from the Centre to operate in the country.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Mr Vaishnaw, who is also the railway minister, wrote, “Starlink, welcome to India! Will be useful for remote area railway projects.”
Starlink, welcome to India!
Will be useful for remote area railway projects. pic.twitter.com/rQPmjeKkGt
— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) March 12, 2025
On Tuesday, Airtel announced that it had signed an agreement with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to bring Starlink’s services to India, adding that it would provide an opportunity to connect communities, schools, health centres and other institutions in even the most remote rural corners of India.
“Working with SpaceX to offer Starlink to Airtel customers in India is a significant milestone and further demonstrates our commitment to next-generation satellite connectivity,” said Gopal Vittal, Managing Director and Vice Chairman, Bharti Airtel Ltd.
Sunil Bharti Mittal, Founder and Chairman, Bharti Enterprises, said, “Just like 4G, 5G, and 6G in the future, we will now have one more technology in our mix, i.e. SAT-G.”
The Reliance Group’s digital services company, Jio Platforms Limited, announced its deal with Starlink on Wednesday.
“Our collaboration with SpaceX to bring Starlink to India strengthens our commitment and marks a transformative step toward seamless broadband connectivity for all,” Reliance Jio Group CEO Mathew Oommen said.
“By integrating Starlink into Jio’s broadband ecosystem, we are expanding our reach and enhancing the reliability and accessibility of high-speed broadband in this AI-driven era, empowering communities and businesses across the country,” he added.
Space X President and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell said the company is looking forward to getting the go ahead from the Indian government.
“We applaud Jio’s commitment to advancing India’s connectivity. We are looking forward to working with Jio and receiving authorisation from the Government of India to provide more people, organisations and businesses with access to Starlink’s high-speed internet services,” Ms Shotwell said.
Starlink had been trying to enter the Indian market since 2022 and both Airtel and Jio had initially opposed its entry.
At the India Mobile Congress in 2024, Sunil Mittal had said satellite companies should – just like traditional telecom companies – be required to purchase spectrum and pay licence fees, Jio had also taken a similar stand, prompting Elon Musk to comment that the demand for an auction-based approach was “unprecedented”. He also wondered whether getting clearances to operate in India was “too much trouble”.
