In a significant development, Elon Musk’s satellite internet venture, Starlink, is on the verge of securing approval from the Indian government, with sources from Money Control indicating that the green light could come as early as next week. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) is reportedly satisfied with Starlink’s clarification on its shareholding pattern, paving the way for regulatory consent.
Starlink is poised to become the third company, following Jio Satellite Communications and OneWeb, to obtain the necessary licenses for offering satellite communication services in India. The impending approval positions Starlink to make significant strides in the country’s evolving telecommunications landscape.
Sources close to the matter have suggested that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) may issue a letter of intent (LoI) to Starlink as early as Wednesday. SpaceX, the company founded by Elon Musk, has yet to respond to queries regarding this development.
The final steps involve the DoT preparing a note for approval by Neeraj Mittal, the telecom Secretary, and Ashwani Vaishnav, the Minister of Communications. Once their approval is secured, the Satellite Communications Wing (SCW) of the department will officially grant the necessary approvals to Starlink, allowing it to initiate its services in India.
While Mittal is currently in the United States for the PanIIT 2024 Event in Washington DC, Minister Vaishnav is attending the World Economic Forum in Davos. The regulatory processes are expected to progress swiftly upon their return.
