Musk's Starlink may get approval to start services in India
Elon Musk's Starlink is anticipated to receive approval from India's Telecom Ministry, for its global mobile personal communication by satellite (GMPCS) services license. The proposal is set to be discussed in a high-level meeting, which will be held later this month. If approved, Starlink could soon offer its services in India, providing internet connectivity to remote villages and areas lacking high-speed services.
Regulatory hurdles remain for Starlink's launch
Despite the potential GMPCS license approval, Starlink will still need to obtain clearance from various government wings, including the Department of Space before launching operations in India. In late 2021, the Telecom Ministry rebuked Starlink for accepting advance payments from subscribers without having procured the necessary license. The Ministry ordered Starlink to refund around 5,000 customers who had pre-booked its services in the country.
Centre urged to assign licenses instead of auctioning them
Following a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the US, Musk stated that Starlink can be "incredibly helpful" in remote Indian villages with limited or no internet access. Starlink has urged the Centre to assign licenses rather than auction the spectrum, in line with global trends. The company argues that spectrum is a natural resource that must be shared by companies, and auctions may impose geographical restrictions, raising costs.
