Elon Musk’s Starlink, the world’s largest satellite broadband company, is moving closer to formally launching services in India as it begins to stitch together a local ecosystem of partners in data centres, fibre networks, and telecom services. The move signals the company’s intent to tap into one of the world’s fastest-growing digital markets, where demand for high-speed, low-latency internet is expected to surge in the coming decade.
Groundwork for Entry
According to ETTelecom report, Starlink has already entered advanced talks with leading data centre operators including Sify Technologies, STT, Equinix, and CtrlS Datacenters. It is also in discussions with internet exchange providers (IXPs) such as DE-CIX and Extreme IXP, fibre players like Microscan, and major Indian telecom operators Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Tata Communications, according to people familiar with the matter.
The partnerships are designed to build the terrestrial backbone needed to anchor Starlink’s low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite services, ensuring seamless connectivity between its satellite constellation and India’s ground-based networks.
Regulatory Approvals and Investment
Industry insiders say the US-based company has secured all required approvals from Indian authorities and has been allocated trial bandwidth to test operations. Letters of Intent are expected to be signed with local partners this month.
Analysts estimate an initial capital expenditure of around ₹500 crore for setting up infrastructure, while broader pan-India coverage could eventually require as much as ₹8,000 crore in investments. This includes establishing 20 ground stations, building fibre integration points, and covering annual operating expenses projected at ₹350 crore.
Ground Stations: A Regulatory Necessity
Starlink has already earmarked 17 sites across India to host ground stations, a key requirement under Indian law. Regulations mandate that all downlink traffic from foreign satellites be routed and stored within the country. These ground stations will act as the landing points, connecting satellites to terrestrial fibre and data networks.
“Ground stations, data centres, and internet exchanges are central to the satcom ecosystem in India,” said one industry executive. “Starlink’s early alliances with fibre and data centre providers show it is preparing for scale rather than treating this as a pilot project.”
Competitive Landscape
Starlink will not be alone in chasing India’s broadband-from-space opportunity. Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb, the Reliance Jio-SES joint venture, Jeff Bezos-led Amazon Kuiper, and Apple’s satellite partner Globalstar have all applied for entry or are in advanced stages of securing approvals.
Analysts expect competition to be fierce as global satcom providers and local telecom operators fight for the same pool of enterprise clients and retail consumers.
India’s space economy currently represents only 2% of the global market but is forecast by IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre) to grow to $44 billion by 2033, pushing its global share to 8%.
Early Integrations and Partnerships
DE-CIX India, which operates 36 points of presence in five cities and handles data throughput of 11 Tbps, confirmed its partnership with Starlink. “The integration will be crucial for maintaining high-speed throughput, particularly for latency-sensitive applications like streaming, online gaming, and video conferencing,” said Sudhir Kunder, Chief Business Officer at DE-CIX India.
Extreme IXP also confirmed that Starlink has connected to its port in Mumbai, further indicating that the satellite firm is laying down the building blocks for scale.
Economic and Market Outlook
A JM Financial study estimated that building a pan-India satellite broadband network would require launching 700–750 LEO satellites, each with a lifespan of seven to eight years. While satellite launches themselves carry significant costs, a separate ₹500 crore will be needed for ground stations, and recurring costs such as bandwidth, spectrum, and equipment subsidies will add another ₹350 crore annually.
Customer premise equipment (CPE), currently priced at around $400 per unit, could see costs fall by up to 50% if Starlink chooses local manufacturing, potentially boosting affordability.
Meanwhile, a Jefferies report suggested Starlink’s global subscriber base could grow from 4.6 million to 5.7 million by 2030, while its satellite constellation expands from 7,000 to 22,000. However, analysts caution that even at scale, satellite broadband will remain a fraction of India’s fixed-line broadband market, which currently has 46 million subscribers and could double to 90–100 million in the next few years.
The Bigger Picture
Starlink’s India entry underscores the growing convergence between satellite connectivity, telecom networks, and data infrastructure. As 5G adoption accelerates, enterprises and consumers alike will demand more resilient, high-capacity broadband networks — especially in rural and underserved areas where fibre rollouts remain limited.
With India’s government pushing for digital inclusion, satcom players like Starlink, OneWeb, and Amazon Kuiper could help bridge the connectivity divide, while also unlocking new revenue streams for telcos.
“India’s satcom market will be a partnership-driven model, with global and local players competing — and sometimes collaborating — to reach the same customers,” said one analyst.
Starlink’s preparations mark the beginning of what could be one of the most closely watched satcom rollouts in the world. With deep-pocketed rivals, stringent regulatory requirements, and massive infrastructure demands, Musk’s company faces no shortage of challenges.
But if it succeeds, Starlink could reshape the broadband landscape in India, offering high-speed connectivity to regions where traditional fibre networks may take years to reach.
As the competition heats up, India is poised to become a testing ground for the future of space-based internet services.
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