Elon Musk's SpaceX has partnered with India's second-largest telecom company Bharti Airtel to offer Starlink satellite internet services in India, after several years of speculation about the company's entry into the country.
What Happened: Airtel plans to offer Starlink equipment through its retail outlets and provide high-speed satellite internet to businesses.
This partnership aims to expand internet connectivity across the nation. The collaboration is contingent upon regulatory approvals for SpaceX to sell Starlink services in India.
Both companies will work together to deliver internet access to rural schools, healthcare centers, and remote communities.
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The partnership will also explore how Starlink’s technology can enhance Airtel’s existing network while utilizing Airtel’s ground infrastructure in India.
This comes weeks after Musk met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington D.C during his visit.
This move aligns with Airtel’s strategy to provide advanced connectivity solutions nationwide. Airtel, which already partners with Eutelsat OneWeb for satellite broadband, will further extend its coverage to underserved regions.
"The team at Airtel has played a pivotal role in India's telecom story, so working with them to complement our direct offering makes great sense for our business," said Gwynne Shotwell, President, SpaceX.
Why It Matters: India’s Department of Telecommunications had earlier requested security assurances from satellite communication providers like Starlink and Amazon.
Additionally, both Starlink and Amazon’s Project Kuiper have been advocating for reduced spectrum charges and long-term licenses to make satellite services more affordable for Indian consumers.
The collaboration with Airtel could potentially ease Starlink’s entry into the market by leveraging Airtel’s established infrastructure and customer base.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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