TAMPA, Fla. — India’s space regulator has approved services from Starlink, although SpaceX’s low Earth orbit (LEO) network still needs spectrum and other clearances before it can provide broadband in the world’s most populous nation.
The Indian National Space Promotion Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) authorized Starlink July 8, two months after giving similar approval for Eutelsat’s rival LEO network OneWeb.
The nod from IN-SPACe marks one of the final major regulatory steps before Starlink can begin operations, according to Grace Khanuja, a manager at boutique consultancy firm Novaspace.
However, she cautioned that several significant regulatory hurdles remain for Starlink and other LEO broadband providers.
In addition to spectrum licenses, companies must comply with new satellite connectivity rules India introduced in May around national security, sovereignty and promotion of local industry participation.
While the mandate to route satellite traffic through India-based data centers and points of presence is driving up costs for foreign operators, Khanuja said the requirement to integrate the country’s indigenous Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) system for satellite positioning is also adding technical complexity.
For Starlink in particular, she said “the pricing strategy would be an interesting thing to watch out for considering the aim to connect primarily rural unconnected users and general willingness to pay in the country.”
But if successful, India would offer Starlink access to a vast user base and a strategic foothold in Asia.
U.S.-based Starlink currently serves more than six million users across 140 countries, territories and other markets as it continues to expand its global footprint and service capabilities. The company has announced launches in 35 additional markets so far this year, most recently in Qatar.
IN-SPACe’s authorization covers operations from 4,408 first-generation (Gen1) Starlink satellites. It is valid for five years, or until the end of the Gen1 constellation’s operational life, whichever comes first.
According to spaceflight tracker and Harvard-Smithsonian astronomer Jonathan McDowell, SpaceX currently has around 3,650 Gen1 Starlink satellites in orbit. It also has roughly 4,300 early second-generation satellites in LEO, including some equipped with direct-to-smartphone payloads.