Starlink relaunches its bid for space in India
New Delhi: Satellite internet provider Starlink is back on track to offer its Gen 2 constellation services in India after resubmitting an application to the space regulator for approval. The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) had previously rejected the company's initial application due to certain non-conformities and spectrum band issues.
Starlink, owned by Elon Musk's SpaceX, is seeking authorization for its Gen 2 constellation, which will operate at an altitude of 340-615 km in low Earth orbit (LEO).
The company remains optimistic about the Indian satellite communication market, which is still in its early stages but holds significant potential. Originally, Starlink had applied for both Gen 1 and Gen 2 constellations, but only the Gen 1 constellation was approved in July 2025, offering traditional broadband services through its 4,408 LEO satellites. However, the recent resubmission of the Gen 2 application coincides with the prospect of more spectrum bands becoming available for satellite communication in India.
If approved, Starlink's Gen 2 constellation would represent a substantial leap forward in terms of coverage and capacity compared to rivals such as Reliance Jio's proposed LEO constellation, Amazon's Leo efforts, and Eutelsat OneWeb. Although SpaceX plans to deploy around 42,000 satellites for the Gen 2 constellation, it has sought approval for nearly 30,000 satellites. The company may have the option to seek authorization for additional satellites in the future.
The Indian government is currently deliberating on recommendations provided by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) regarding satellite spectrum pricing. However, a final decision has not yet been made. Moreover, the government is holding consultations on Direct-to-Device (D2D) services, which it plans to recommend in the coming months. While D2D services have been viewed as a potential threat to traditional telecom operators, they also possess the capacity to enhance mobile coverage.
Written by urgent.news from The Economic Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
