Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite broadband service is making progress toward securing its license to operate in India. After a year-long application process, Starlink has reportedly agreed to meet the government’s data localization and security requirements, paving the way for its global mobile personal communication by satellite services (GMPCS) license. This license is essential for the company to begin offering satellite internet services in India.
Starlink initially applied for the GMPCS license in October 2022, which is the first step toward setting up satellite internet infrastructure in India, including acquiring a trial spectrum at a nominal application fee. In recent discussions with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Starlink has reportedly “in principle” agreed to comply with India’s data and security regulations, a significant milestone toward receiving the license.
As part of its license application, Starlink has been asked to meet stringent security and data storage requirements, including the stipulation that all data be stored within India. Additionally, the company may need to demonstrate how Indian intelligence agencies will be able to access and intercept data if necessary.
Although Starlink has not yet formally submitted its agreement to meet all conditions, its commitment to adhering to these norms has cleared a major hurdle in its path toward operating in India.
Meanwhile, the competition for satellite broadband dominance in India is heating up. Local telecom giants like Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea are raising concerns about the potential impact of satellite broadband providers such as Starlink and Amazon. These telecom companies have argued that satellite spectrum should be auctioned to ensure fair competition and avoid undermining traditional telecom services. They believe that satellite services targeting urban areas should be regulated in a way that ensures they don’t unfairly compete with established players.
However, Starlink has countered that satellite broadband services should be treated differently from traditional telecom services. The company has suggested that the allocation of satellite spectrum, similar to 5G spectrum, should be handled administratively rather than through an auction process, which it believes would better foster innovation in the sector.
