Starlink schedules demo runs on Oct 30-31in Mumbai ahead of India launch
The demonstration, which is an essential requirement for securing clearances to launch commercial services, will be conducted before designated law enforcement agencies using Starlink's provisional spectrum.
Elon Musk’s Starlink is scheduled to conduct demo-runs in Mumbai on October 30 and 31. The purpose of these demonstrations is to showcase compliance with the security and technical conditions required for satellite broadband services in India.
The demo, based on the provisional spectrum assigned to Starlink, will be conducted before designated law enforcement agencies, sources told PTI. This move marks a significant step toward Starlink’s entry into the high-stakes Indian satellite broadband market, as these demonstrations are an essential requirement for securing clearances to launch commercial services.
The tests come amid growing public anticipation for the rollout of satcom in India, with major players—including Starlink, Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb, and Reliance Jio-SES—all keenly eyeing the "broadband-beamed-from-the-skies" segment.
Compliance and capacity details
Sources indicate that Starlink will run the demo at its designated gateway location in Mumbai to show compliance with both security norms (specifically the Lawful Interception System and Lawful Interception Monitoring) and the technical conditions of the GMPCS (Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite) authorisation.
Starlink is reportedly targeting a capacity of 600 gigabits per second (based on its Gen 1 constellation). Based on a preliminary calculation, this capacity could support about 1 lakh (100,000) connections in the future. The telecom department is currently aware of Starlink’s plans for three gateways in Mumbai, Noida, and Chennai.
Starlink could not be reached for comment regarding the demos.
Industry outlook and mission
Earlier this month, Starlink’s India market access director, Parnil Urdhwareshe, praised the extensive government efforts and coordination across various agencies, including the Ministry of Communications, TRAI, DoS, InSpace, and DPIIT.
Speaking at the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025, Urdhwareshe stated that Starlink is fully focused on providing Indians with a secure, compliant, and high-quality broadband experience. He emphasised the company's mission to bring high-speed, low-latency broadband to difficult-to-reach areas.
“A very large percentage of Starlink users are residential users who live in rural areas, and a very large number of those users are people to whom Starlink was the first option they had for truly great broadband. So, serving those rural users is fundamental to the mission of Starlink,” Urdhwareshe said during a panel discussion.
Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, also speaking at IMC, noted that the satcom market in India—currently valued at close to USD $4 billion—is projected to triple to almost USD $15 billion by 2033.
In related regulatory news, the telecom department’s highest decision-making body decided last month to seek clarification from TRAI on certain aspects of its satellite spectrum recommendations, including the fee proposed for urban customers and suggested annual minimum spectrum charges.