Govt Asks Elon Musk’s Starlink To Refund Pre-Orders of Indian Internet Subscribers

Starlink has received over 5,000 pre-orders for its devices in India. However, it is still waiting for commercial licence to operate in the country

Elon Musk's Starlink is among the growing numbers of firms launching small satellites as part of a low-Earth orbit network to deliver low-latency broadband internet services. Image: Getty

Mumbai: Billionaire Elon Musk’s satellite internet firm Starlink informed its subscribers in India that the central government has requested that all pre-orders be refunded until the company receives licence to operate in the country.

“As has always been the case, you can receive a refund at any time,” the company said in an email to one of its clients, Reuters reported citing that the copy of the communication.

Starlink, a part of Musk’s SpaceX aerospace company, has received over 5,000 pre-orders for its devices in India. However, it is still waiting for commercial licences, without which it will be unable to provide any services.

“Unfortunately, the timeline for receiving licences to operate is currently unknown, and there are several issues that must be resolved with the licensing framework to allow us to operate Starlink in India,” said the company’s email.

Starlink is among the growing numbers of firms launching small satellites as part of a low-Earth orbit network to deliver low-latency broadband internet services around the world, focusing on distant locations where terrestrial internet infrastructure lags.

However, the government has warned consumers against subscribing to Starlink without first obtaining a licence and has also issued a warning to the firm, ordering it to stop collecting bookings and providing services.

“The Starlink team is looking forward to making Starlink available in India as soon as possible,” it said.

Last month, Starlink’s national leader indicated on social media that the company planned to apply for a commercial licence in India by the end of January. A presentation showed that with an April roll-out, the company aimed to reach 200,000 devices in India by December 2022.

Amazon.com’s Kuiper and OneWeb, a bankrupt satellite operator rescued by the British government, are among its global competitors.

The launch of Starlink satellite internet business in India may impact telcos like Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio and Sunil Bharti Mittal-led Bharti Airtel.