Starlink internet: Elon Musk's Starlink Set for India Launch, 9 Satellite Stations to Provide High-Speed Internet

Elon Musk's satellite internet company, Starlink, is gearing up for its full-scale launch in India. The company plans to establish gateway earth stations in 9 major cities across the country, including Mumbai, Noida, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Lucknow, while this strategic move is expected to revolutionize internet connectivity, bringing high-speed internet to India's remotest corners, even where mobile networks are non-existent.

600 Gigabit Capacity and Provisional Trials

According to The Economic Times, Starlink has applied for a capacity of 600 gigabits per second through its Gen 1 satellite constellation in India. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has provisionally allotted spectrum for a demo, allowing the company to test security standards. Under this permission, Starlink is authorized to import 100 user terminals and conduct demonstrations only for fixed satellite services, while this trial phase isn't for commercial public use. The Indian government has imposed stringent conditions on Starlink to prevent any misuse. While the company initially proposed bringing foreign technical experts for station operations, the government has mandated that only Indian citizens will be allowed to operate these stations until security clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is granted. This measure underscores the government's commitment to national security.

Past Security Concerns and Data Localization Mandate

Earlier, Indian security agencies raised concerns about the illegal use of Starlink terminals in restricted areas. In March 2025, the MHA directed the DoT to investigate after illegal. Starlink equipment was seized in Manipur and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Following these incidents, the government has made data localization and regular reporting mandatory. All data generated during the trials must be securely stored within India. Also, Starlink is required to submit bi-weekly reports to the DoT and security agencies, detailing the location of its stations, the terminals in use, and user locations.