News Brief
India Mulls Relaxing Licence Norms For Elon Musk-Led Starlink’s Satellite Internet Services—What You Need To Know
Elon Musk's Starlink has applied with the DoT to provide satellite internet services in India.
The government is reportedly considering relaxing certain conditions for issuing a licence to Elon Musk-led Starlink, which seeks to launch satellite broadband services in India.
According to officials from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Starlink has sought exemptions from some requirements, citing technical limitations, to operate in India, The New Indian Express reported.
In October 2022, Starlink had submitted an application for the Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) licence.
This licence, valid for 20 years, permits companies to provide satellite communication services within licensed service areas.
“Starlink has agreed to most of the licensing terms and has committed to addressing the government’s security concerns. However, the company has expressed that a few conditions are technically infeasible. We will work with Starlink to find a mutually agreeable solution,” an official was quoted as saying by TNIE.
At present, the government has granted licences to Bharti Group-backed OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications, a joint venture between Jio and SES, for offering satellite communication services in India.
Applications from Starlink and Amazon’s Project Kuiper remain pending approval.
Under GMPCS licence conditions, satellite usage is limited to authorised services within Indian territory.
Additionally, licensees must establish buffer zones along international borders where services are prohibited, with the specific width determined by the Indian government.
Further, licence holders must provide call data records to security agencies upon request.
Satellite broadband providers cannot use bulk encryption equipment without prior approval from the government, and foreign personnel deployed by the licensee must obtain security clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Moreover, all calls made to or from India must be routed through a GMPCS Gateway within the country.
Another official noted that Starlink faces technical difficulties in meeting all the licence requirements.
“However, we will take an undertaking from the company to fulfill these conditions in the future or whenever it becomes feasible,” the official added.
Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had said last week that Starlink would receive a service license provided it meets the government’s conditions and addresses security concerns.
