Starlink Reapplies For India's Approval To Launch 30,000-Satellite Gen 2 Constellation

SpaceX's Starlink has resubmitted its application to India's space authority to launch its next-generation satellite communication system, the Gen 2 constellation. The company aims to establish its presence in India's growing satellite communication sector. The proposed Gen 2 network would operate in low-Earth orbit at an altitude between 340-615 km and would utilize direct-to-device (D2D) technology, enabling direct connections with mobile phones without the need for specialized equipment.

The new application covers approximately 30,000 low-Earth orbit satellites, following the rejection of Starlink's previous Gen 2 proposal by India's National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe). IN-SPACe had previously denied the company's earlier request for both Gen 1 and Gen 2 constellations due to the features and spectrum bands not meeting regulatory requirements.

However, IN-SPACe approved Starlink's Gen 1 constellation of 4,408 low-Earth orbit satellites for traditional broadband services in July 2025.

Starlink plans to deploy a global fleet of around 42,000 satellites for the Gen 2 network, with the company seeking authorization for nearly 30,000 of them in India. If approved, this constellation could give Starlink a competitive advantage over other space-based internet service providers such as Reliance Jio's proposed low-Earth orbit constellation, Amazon's Project Kuiper, and Eutelsat OneWeb.

However, satellite operators still require authorization from IN-SPACe to commence services in India, and none of the non-geostationary operators have started commercial operations in the country due to unresolved security clearances, spectrum allocation, and pricing norms.