A new revolution is on the horizon for internet access in India. Elon Musk's satellite internet company, Starlink, is actively preparing for its full-scale launch in the country. According to recent reports, the company plans to establish nine gateway earth stations across India, targeting major cities like Mumbai, Noida, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Lucknow. This ambitious expansion is expected to deliver high-speed internet access even to India’s most remote areas that currently lack mobile network coverage.
600 Gbps capacity and trial commencement
Starlink has officially begun its groundwork. A report in The Economic Times states that the company has applied for 600 Gigabits per second (Gbps) capacity through its Gen 1 satellite constellation in India.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has currently granted Starlink a provisional spectrum for a demonstration to verify security standards. This limited permission allows the company to import 100 user terminals and conduct a demo exclusively for fixed satellite service.
Strict security rules and data localisation
The Indian government has imposed stringent conditions to prevent any potential misuse of the technology.
- Operator Clearance: While Starlink initially proposed bringing in foreign technical experts to operate its stations, the government has mandated that only Indian citizens will be permitted to run these stations until security clearance is obtained from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
- Data Security: During the trial phase, Starlink will not be permitted to offer services to the public. Crucially, any data generated during this period must be stored securely within India.
- Mandatory Reporting: To ensure compliance, Starlink is required to submit a report to the DoT and security agencies every 15 days. This report must detail the location of its stations, the user terminals being deployed, and the specific locations of the users.
These measures follow previous security concerns. In March 2025, Indian security agencies raised alarms over the illegal use of Starlink terminals in restricted areas. Following the seizure of unauthorised equipment in Manipur and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the MHA directed the DoT to conduct a full investigation, leading to the current strict mandates on data localisation and regular monitoring.
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