Starlink gets licence to start India services
Starlink is the third company after Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications to get a licence from the Department of Telecommunications to provide satellite internet services in the country.
New Delhi, Jun 6 (PTI) Elon Musk's Starlink has received a licence from the telecom department for providing satellite internet services in India, a key milestone that will take it closer towards launching commercial operations in the country.
DoT sources confirmed on Friday that Starlink has indeed received the licence, and said the company will be granted trial spectrum in 15-20 days of applying for it.
Starlink will now have to comply with the security norms such as providing access for lawful interception, before starting services.
The licence came hours after a huge public spat between Musk and US President Donald Trump. The falling-out between the world's richest man and the world's most powerful person began when Musk, who left his role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency a week ago, denounced Trump's sweeping tax-cut and spending bill.
On Thursday, it erupted in the verbal duel after Trump criticised Musk in the Oval Office. Musk responded saying 'Trump would have lost' without his help, prompting the US President to end US contracts.
The licence from DoT came nearly a month after the Starlink was issued a letter of intent (LoI) by the telecom department.
The companies that have received the licence would, however, have to a wait a tad longer for commercial satcom spectrum as the Trai just recently sent its recommendations on pricing, and terms and conditions, to the government for its consideration.
The players will be able to start their services after the allocation of radio wave frequencies.
Typically, even before the commercial spectrum, the trial spectrum is required to test, and verify the systems and processes on security parameters to demonstrate that all norms and requirements, are being complied with.
The status of the Starlink's final nod from the Indian space regulator, In-SPACe could not be immediately ascertained.
Starlink is a satellite internet service developed by SpaceX — the American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation company founded in 2002 by the world's richest man Musk. It provides high-speed, low-latency broadband internet worldwide using satellite technology and is aptly described by some as broadband beamed from the skies.
Unlike conventional satellite services that rely on distant geostationary satellites, Starlink utilises the world's largest low Earth orbit or LEO constellation (550 km above Earth).
This constellation of LEO satellites (7,000 now but eventually set to grow to over 40,000) and its mesh delivers broadband internet capable of supporting streaming, online gaming, and video calls.
Starlink, which had been vying for an India licence for some time now, recently signed pacts with Ambani's Reliance Jio and Mittal's Bharti Airtel, which together control more than 70 per cent of the country's telecom market, to bring the US satellite internet giant's services to India.
The nod for the satcom offering — known for its resilience in harsh conditions and conflict zones — coincides with escalation of Donald Trump-Elon Musk feud in the US.
Early last month, the government had issued stringent security norms mandating legal interception of satellite communication services and barred companies from linking connection of users in any form with any terminal or facility located outside the country's border as well as processing of their data overseas.
The tighter security rules also mandate service providers to indigenise at least 20 per cent of their ground segment of the satellite network within years of their establishment in the country. The satcom service licence holders will require security clearances for specific gateway and hub locations in India and compliance to monitoring, interception facilities and equipment requirements.
India's rules mandate satcom firms to demonstrate system capabilities with respect to security aspects, including monitoring, to the Department of Telecom (DoT) or its authorised representatives before starting operations in India.
It is pertinent to mention that Telecom regulator TRAI last month recommended that satellite communication companies like Starlink pay 4 per cent of their adjusted gross revenue (AGR) as spectrum charges to the government — a rate steeper than what these firms had been lobbying for.
Operators offering satellite-based broadband internet services in urban areas would have to shell out an additional Rs 500 per subscribers annually, TRAI recommended. No additional levy would be applicable for services in rural areas.
COAI, whose members include Reliance Jio and Airtel, recently approached the telecom department to raise concerns over TRAI recommendations on the satcom spectrum.
The industry body argued that 'incorrect assumptions' have led to unjustifiably low spectrum charges for satellite services relative to terrestrial networks — a claim strongly rejected by Trai, which has ruled out any review of recommendations at this stage, based on industry body COAI's charges. PTI MBI TRB
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
11 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
India's watchdog warns Air India for breaching pilots' flight duty timings
By Aditya Kalra India's watchdog warns Air India for breaching pilots' flight duty timings NEW DELHI, - India's aviation watchdog has issued a warning to Air India for "repeated and serious violations" related to pilot duty scheduling and oversight, according to government directives reviewed by Reuters on Saturday. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation directed Air India to remove three company executives from crew scheduling roles - a divisional vice president, a chief manager of crew scheduling and one planning executive - for lapses linked to flights from Bengaluru to London on May 16 and May 17 that exceeded the stipulated pilot flight time limit of 10 hours. The June 20 order cited "systemic failures in scheduling protocol and oversights" and criticised the lack of strict disciplinary measures against responsible officials. The latest action by the aviation authority against the airline is unrelated to this month's crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8 plane that killed all but one of the 242 people onboard but signal heightened scrutiny of the airline. On Thursday, Reuters reported the authorities had also warned Air India for breaching safety rules after three of its Airbus planes flew despite being overdue for checks on emergency equipment of escape slides. The latest order by assistant director of operations at the DGCA, Himanshu Srivastava, said: "Of particular concern is the absence of strict disciplinary measures against key officials directly responsible." In a statement to Reuters, Air India said it has implemented the DGCA order and in the interim, the company's chief operations officer will provide direct oversight to the Integrated Operations Control Centre. "Air India is committed to ensuring that there is total adherence to safety protocols and standard practices," it added. The DGCA stated in its order that Air India had voluntarily disclosed the violations. Air India was taken over by the Tata Group in 2022 and faces many challenges in its attempts to rebuild its image, after years of criticism from travelers for poor service. The Indian regulator, like many abroad, often fines airlines for compliance lapses. India's government in February told parliament that authorities had warned or fined airlines in 23 instances for safety violations last year. Around half of them - 12 - involved Air India and Air India Express. The biggest fine was $127,000 on Air India for "insufficient oxygen on board" during some international flights. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Hans India
14 minutes ago
- Hans India
Israel-Iran War: Trump weighs U.S. strikes as Tehran warns of ‘Dangerous' escalation
As Israel and Iran continued their escalating conflict into its second week, tensions deepened on Friday, June 20, with U.S. President Donald Trump indicating he may authorize airstrikes on Iran — giving Tehran a two-week window to avert potential military action. This comes as diplomatic talks in Geneva between Iranian officials and European ministers ended with no breakthrough. President Trump said any American involvement would target Iran's Fordo nuclear site, a hardened underground facility believed to be accessible only via U.S. 'bunker-buster' munitions. While Trump is holding off on a final decision, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to continue military operations "for as long as it takes" to neutralize Iran's nuclear and missile threat. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, following the Geneva talks, warned that U.S. intervention would be 'very, very dangerous for everyone.' Tehran, he added, will not resume diplomatic dialogue unless Israel halts its 'aggression.' Meanwhile, on the ground, Israel carried out a second strike on Iran's nuclear site in Isfahan, reportedly inflicting heavy damage to centrifuge infrastructure. In retaliation, drones struck a residential building in northern Israel, though no casualties were reported. Russia weighed in as well, with President Vladimir Putin stating there's no evidence that Iran seeks nuclear weapons — aligning with IAEA's assessment. Putin said Moscow supports Iran's right to a peaceful nuclear program and is urging both nations to end the bloodshed. Amidst this chaos, misinformation has become rampant. AI-generated deepfakes and manipulated footage are blurring fact and fiction, fueling online disinformation campaigns. This digital fog is compounding the already tense information war surrounding the conflict. A bizarre moment occurred when a British-Iranian woman trying to reach her mother in Tehran was answered by a robotic voice in broken English — further highlighting the surreal intersection of war and technology. In a dramatic statement, a senior aide to Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, vowed that IAEA chief Rafael Grossi would 'pay' after the war, accusing him of making conflicting statements that gave Israel a pretext for its surprise attacks. With diplomacy faltering and military actions intensifying, the region remains on a knife's edge — and global leaders are scrambling to contain a conflict that risks spiraling far beyond the Middle East.
Scroll.in
14 minutes ago
- Scroll.in
Pakistan nominates Trump for Nobel Peace Prize, cites ‘pivotal' role during conflict with India
Pakistan announced on Saturday that it has nominated United States President Donald Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize 'in recognition of his decisive diplomatic intervention and pivotal leadership' during the recent conflict with India. 'The Government of Pakistan also acknowledges and greatly admires President Trump's sincere offers to help resolve the longstanding dispute of Jammu and Kashmir between India and Pakistan – an issue that lies at the heart of regional instability,' Islamabad stated in a social media post. It also described Trump as a 'genuine peacemaker'. The winner of the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize is expected to be announced in October 2026. Pakistan to recommend US President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize 2026: Pakistan statement — Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) June 21, 2025 Pakistan's announcement came days after Trump claimed that he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize for multiple global peace efforts, The Hindu reported. 'I should have gotten it four or five times,' the US president was quoted as saying by AP. 'They won't give me a Nobel Peace Prize because they only give it to liberals.' In a social media post on Saturday, Trump reiterated that he would never receive a Nobel Peace Prize, 'no matter what I do'. He also repeated his claim that he had helped 'stop the war' between India and Pakistan. New Delhi has rejected Trump's assertions. On Wednesday, New Delhi stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had told the US president that India will never accept mediation to resolve tensions with Pakistan. Trump was also told that New Delhi had agreed to the ceasefire only on Islamabad's request, said India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. Hours after the statement, Trump hosted Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, at the White House. Speaking afterwards, Trump thanked both Munir and Modi for their roles in 'ending the war', and noted ongoing trade discussions with both countries, The Hindu reported. The tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad escalated on May 7 when the Indian military carried out strikes – codenamed Operation Sindoor – on what it claimed were terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The strikes were in response to the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, which killed 26 persons on April 22. The Pakistan Army retaliated to Indian strikes by repeatedly shelling Indian villages along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. At least 22 Indian civilians and eight defence personnel were killed. On May 10, India and Pakistan reached an 'understanding' to halt firing following a four-day conflict. New Delhi's announcement on the decision to stop military action had come minutes after Trump claimed on social media that India and Pakistan had agreed to the ceasefire. However, India has said that the decision to stop firing was taken bilaterally and that there was no intervention by the US. The winner of the Nobel Peace Prize is selected by the Norwegian Nobel Committee. The five-member panel is appointed by the Norwegian Parliament. According to the Nobel Prize website, a nomination for the Peace Prize is valid if submitted by qualified individuals such as government officials, judges, professors, former laureates or members of recognised peace organisations. This includes 'members of national Assemblies and national governments of sovereign states as well as current heads of state'. Self-nominations are not accepted.
