NuzTube INDIA
New Delhi – May 7, 2025
India has taken a crucial step towards welcoming Elon Musk’s satellite internet venture, Starlink, by issuing a Letter of Intent (LoI), a move that could soon enable the company to provide satellite-based high-speed internet across the country.
According to a PTI report, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued the LoI to Starlink, which is operated by Musk’s aerospace firm SpaceX. This development aligns Starlink with other approved players in India’s satellite broadband space, such as Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications, who received similar approvals earlier.
🌐 What Is Starlink?
Starlink is a next-generation satellite broadband service offering high-speed, low-latency internet via a constellation of low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites, aimed especially at remote and underserved areas.
Earlier this year, Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had posted — and later deleted — a welcome message for Starlink on social media, stating:
“Starlink, welcome to India! Will be useful for remote area railway projects.”
Meanwhile, both Airtel and Reliance Jio had signed conditional partnership deals with Starlink, contingent on formal government approval. Ironically, both companies had initially opposed Starlink’s entry into India back in 2022 due to market concerns.
In a recent development, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal met with a Starlink delegation to discuss the company’s technological potential, partnerships, and investment plans in India.
“Discussions covered Starlink’s cutting-edge technology platform, their existing partnerships & future investment plans in India,” the minister said on X.
With regulatory approval finally moving forward, Starlink is now expected to play a significant role in bridging India’s digital divide, especially in rural and geographically isolated regions.
