Starlink Says India Operations Are Ready and Awaits Government Authorisation

Starlink, the satellite internet service operated by SpaceX, says it has put in place the ground infrastructure it needs to operate in India and is now waiting for government authorisation to begin services. The company made the statement at the India Mobile Congress 2026 in New Delhi, according to reports by Outlook Business and Business Today published on 7 October.

Lauren Dreyer, vice president of Starlink Business Operations at SpaceX, addressed the pre-event business day of the congress. As quoted by Outlook Business, she said Starlink is “ready to serve India when India is ready for it.” She added that the company has spent about five years working with Indian regulators, industry players and telecom operators to meet local regulatory, security and operational requirements.

Dreyer said Starlink has built 20 gateway sites in the country, with hundreds of antennas between them. Gateways are ground stations that connect a satellite network to the terrestrial internet. According to Outlook Business, she said the Indian operation has been designed to meet security requirements, with controls in place and the data of Indian users kept inside the country. The same report said Starlink operates more than 11,000 satellites in low Earth orbit and provides connectivity in more than 170 countries.

Business Today reported that Starlink has signed memorandums of understanding with Airtel and Jio, and letters of intent with the governments of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Meghalaya. It said the company is also in talks with other state governments about their local connectivity needs. Dreyer linked the company’s plans to the goal of universal connectivity set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said Starlink could help India reach full connectivity.

Dreyer described the “last mile” as the biggest opportunity, particularly in places where laying traditional infrastructure is difficult or expensive. The examples she gave, as reported by Outlook Business, included students in Himalayan villages, healthcare workers in the Northeast, communities hit by disasters, and farmers and fishermen who need weather and market information. She also said the service could link 4G and 5G mobile towers in areas where fibre is hard to lay.

What remains unclear is when service might begin. Neither report gave a launch date, and Outlook Business said it did not specify which authority is reviewing the application or when a decision might come. Business Today noted that the company is awaiting required regulatory approvals without naming the pending clearance. Pricing for Indian customers was also not announced in either report. Until the government acts, Starlink’s India plans, including its agreements with Airtel, Jio and the three state governments, remain preparatory.