Elon Musk’s satellite internet venture, Starlink, has received an in-principle approval from the Indian government for its operations in India. This is a significant step forward for the company after nearly three-and-a-half years of deliberation. The approval is currently pending a final review by the Communications Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, who is awaiting clearance from the Home Ministry on certain security concerns.
The approval comes just days before Elon Musk’s scheduled visit to India and his expected meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Once the final approvals are in place, Starlink will be granted a Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) license, which is essential for offering satellite communication services in the country.
The government has also imposed certain mandates, such as ensuring that the Know Your Customer (KYC) details and customer information of Indian users do not leave the country. Additionally, there is a requirement that traffic over Indian airspace and waters should only terminate at a local gateway, and the data beams from satellites should only land in India.
This development is poised to boost internet connectivity, especially in rural and remote areas of India, by providing high-speed internet access through a constellation of satellites in low-earth orbit.