Starlink’s commercial launch in India is still on hold, more than a year after it received its main approvals. The company received a GMPCS licence in June 2025 and final authorisation from IN-SPACe on 17 July 2025, which made it the third satellite communications operator with full clearance after Eutelsat OneWeb and the Reliance Jio-SES venture. It still needs spectrum from the Department of Telecommunications and security clearances before it can start service. On 15 September 2026 the Digital Communications Commission cleared a spectrum usage charge of 5 percent of adjusted gross revenue, with an effective 4 percent for operators serving designated rural and remote areas, and the proposal is expected to go to the Cabinet for final approval.
The argument that the launch is close rests on the regulatory progress. The DCC decision settles the main open question, which was how much satellite operators would pay for spectrum. TRAI had recommended administrative allocation with a 4 percent fee on adjusted gross revenue for five years, so the 5 percent charge with a lower effective rate for rural areas is close to the regulator’s view. The security conditions set by the Department of Telecommunications include legal interception capabilities, no processing of user data outside India, indigenisation of at least 20 percent of ground infrastructure within a few years and separate clearance for each gateway and hub site. Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio have signed agreements to offer Starlink services once it has all its permits, and the first-generation constellation of 4,408 satellites is reported to have 600 Gbps of capacity across India.
The counter-argument is that several steps remain, and prices are still unknown. Starlink’s vice-president Lauren Dreyer has said that its India website was not live, that no pricing had been announced and that it was not taking orders. A dummy plan briefly appeared on the site at Rs 8,600 a month plus Rs 34,000 for the hardware, which the company said reflected internal test figures. Reports suggest a retail plan of roughly Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 a month, but that is not confirmed. The regulator’s proposals also include a monthly urban user charge of Rs 500, a minimum annual spectrum fee of Rs 3,500 per MHz and an 8 percent licence fee on commercial services, and the final figures could differ from the DCC’s. The Communications Ministry has also been drawn into a dispute after Elon Musk’s claim that Starlink is being blocked, a claim that the ministry has answered.
The decision matters because satellite broadband is aimed at areas that fibre and mobile networks do not reach, including remote villages, hills and islands. A launch would add a new option for the many households that have poor or no connection, and it would put pressure on terrestrial operators in the premium market. Competition among Starlink, OneWeb and the Jio-SES venture would decide how quickly prices fall. For the government, the question is how to price spectrum so that both the revenue and the rollout targets are met.
Starlink has cleared most regulatory hurdles but not the last ones. The Cabinet’s decision on the spectrum charge and the allocation of spectrum will determine when customers can place an order, and the price will be known only when the company announces it.