India to Starlink: Comply with rules before entering market

New Delhi: Starlink has yet to receive permission to launch services in India, as it has not agreed to adhere to regulations mandating satellite internet providers to establish domestic infrastructure, according to a senior government official. The official sent a stern warning to tech mogul Elon Musk, stating that in order to conduct business in India, he must abide by the country's laws.

The government has no issue with Starlink launching its services once it addresses security concerns and establishes local base stations. A base station is a radio transmitter and receiver that functions as a local hub, connecting end-user devices to a wireless network. Setting up base stations will aid authorities in ensuring compliance with the law.

The three companies planning to start satellite communication services in India include Bharti Mittal-backed Eutelsat OneWeb, Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio, and Elon Musk's Starlink. Notably, Bharti Enterprises chairperson Sunil Bharti Mittal revealed that Airtel's Eutelsat OneWeb satellite service might receive regulatory approvals before Starlink.

Mittal stated that his company is ahead in the approval queue, having applied nearly five years ago, and that he will be "very happy" to receive it at least a few days before Starlink.

Mittal responded to a query at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum, expressing his satisfaction with getting approval ahead of Musk. He accused Indian telecom providers of preventing Starlink from entering the Indian market. The government has dismissed Musk's claim that Starlink was being discriminated against at the instigation of a "local oligarch."