Starlink takes a step closer to India

livemint.com:

American satellite internet company Starlink, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, has been allowed to offer satellite broadband services in India, two officials aware of the development said. The department of telecommunications (DoT) has approved the grant of a global mobile personal communication by satellite or GMPCS licence to the company. “The licence has been approved.

We got the go ahead from the commerce ministry on details they had asked for and they (Starlink) have provided," one of the officials cited above said, asking not to be named. After it gets past a couple more hurdles, Starlink will become the third satellite broadband service provider in the country, after Bharti group-backed OneWeb India, and Reliance-backed Jio Satellite Communications. Their services, though, will take a few more months to get activated, after the government makes changes to the Telecommuncations Act 2023.

The people cited above said Starlink has given a declaration that it does not have investors from countries with which India shares land borders, clearing the hurdle it faced from the department of promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT), which had asked details of its shareholder, before giving approval. The company was learnt to have cited US regulations for not providing the details as required by the ministry. While a formal communication to the SpaceX-owned company has been issued, a letter of intent will be given out over the next couple of days, one of the officials said.