Starlink Internet Under Rs 850? With India Launch On The Horizon, Check Out Possible Plans, Speed
While Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio have already signed B2B deals with Starlink, the company isn’t limiting itself to partnerships.
Elon Musk’s ambitious satellite internet venture, Starlink, is inching closer to finally setting up shop in India, with operations expected to begin within the next 9 to 12 months. According to senior officials from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the company is reportedly planning to kick off with a bandwidth capacity of 600 to 700 Gbps. However, the initial rollout will be limited to just 30,000 to 50,000 users in specific urban pockets.
The broader aim? A massive ramp-up to 3 terabytes per second (Tbps) by 2027 — pending regulatory approvals.
To support this high-speed satellite network, Starlink has already mapped out two to three Earth station sites across the country, reported NDTV Profit. Each site will host up to nine gateways — these gateways will act as the digital highways that connect users to the global internet infrastructure via Starlink’s satellites.
Direct-To-Consumer Internet Coming Soon
While Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio — India’s telecom giants — have already signed business-to-business deals with Starlink, the company isn’t limiting itself to partnerships. Starlink is preparing to launch a direct-to-consumer (DTC) model that could shake up the Indian broadband market. This will allow individual users to bypass traditional ISPs and get connected directly via personal Starlink ground stations.
These stations, which serve as the user’s interface to the satellite network, are expected to be priced between $250 and $600 (roughly Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000). Although this positions Starlink as a premium offering, the company is reportedly keeping India’s price-sensitive market in mind.
"Starlink to launch for under Rs. 850 per month," an earlier report had hinted — a pricing strategy that could redefine internet accessibility in rural and underserved areas.
Final Countdown: Starlink Licence Expected By June
The final regulatory nod is just around the corner. Sources confirmed that Starlink's Global Licensing Head, Parnil Urdhwareshe, met with top DoT officials this month to iron out the last-mile legalities. The department is in the process of securing bank guarantees from satellite service providers and is likely to grant the official licence by mid-June.
However, this is contingent on Starlink’s full agreement to the Indian government’s terms. Officials have clarified that “the grant of licence is tied to Starlink's unconditional agreement to terms,” and that negotiations are still ongoing.
Interestingly, the Indian government had earlier issued a letter of intent to Starlink, signalling a green light after years of regulatory pushback — particularly from rivals Airtel and Jio, who had earlier opposed the entry of a foreign satellite internet operator. But with a policy shift last October allowing bandwidth allotment to Starlink, the winds have clearly changed.
India Poised To Power Starlink’s Asia Growth
Global market analysts are already eyeing India as a key growth hub for Starlink. “India will be the biggest contributor to Starlink's Asia growth,” said Caleb Henry, Director of Research at space-focused financial firm Quilty Space, in an interview with Reuters. The firm estimates that Starlink will add three million users globally in 2025, with nearly one-third expected from Asia.
For a nation that already boasts some of the cheapest data rates in the world, the arrival of Starlink may not just improve internet speeds — it could fundamentally change how rural and remote India connects with the rest of the world.
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