Elon Musk's Starlink Poised To Secure Crucial Approval For Indian Market Entry

This story was first published on the Benzinga India portal.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in India is reportedly set to determine on Sept. 20 the fate of Starlink — Elon Musk's satellite-based broadband venture. The decision will establish whether SpaceX, Starlink's parent company, will be granted the global mobile personal communication by satellite (GMPCS) services license.

OneWeb, supported by India's Bharti Airtel Group, and Jio Space, the satellite division of billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio, have already been approved by the DoT.

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Starlink, which is Musk's ambitious project to provide global satellite internet, submitted its application to the DoT last year. The industry chatter suggests that Starlink is likely to receive a favorable decision.

A source within the DoT, quoted by Business Standard, said "Given that other players have secured the licence and Starlink’s application checks all boxes, there’s little standing in its way.”

However, securing the license is not the final hurdle for Starlink. The company will also need approval from the Department of Space and, most importantly, the spectrum to launch its services in India. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's stance on satellite spectrum allocation is eagerly anticipated by the industry.

Starlink aims to revolutionize broadband, particularly in parts of India where connectivity is limited. The company launched more than 5,000 satellites and, as of May 2023, is said to have 1.5 million subscribers.

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