New Delhi: Starlink, Elon Musk’s company, might receive approval from the Indian government to launch its space-based broadband services in India by next week. According to a report from Moneycontrol, Starlink has provided clarification to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) regarding its shareholding pattern. The Telecommunications Department is expected to issue a Letter of Intent to Starlink by Wednesday. Starlink has not commented on this development so far.
If the central government grants a license for Elon Musk’s Starlink to provide space-based broadband services, it will become the third company to do so in India. Jio Satellite Communications and OneWeb have already obtained licenses. Starlink initiated the application process for a license to start satellite services in India in November 2022.
Minister and Secretary’s Approval Awaited: Moneycontrol reports that the Ministry of Communications is preparing a letter for approval from the Secretary of Telecommunications, Neeraj Mittal, and the Minister of Communications, Electronics, and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnav. Following this approval, the Satellite Communications Wing (SCW) is expected to grant approval to Starlink, led by Elon Musk. Both Neeraj Mittal and Ashwini Vaishnav are currently abroad, with Mittal attending the PanIIT-2024 event in Washington, D.C., and Vaishnav participating in the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos.
Repayment of Advance Payments: Starlink had already collected advance payments for its services in India before obtaining the service license. In late 2021, the Telecom Ministry instructed Starlink to refund the money to individuals who had pre-ordered Starlink services in India. The company had to repay funds to 5,000 subscribers in India. In addition to government approval, Starlink also needs approval from the space regulator, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe).
