Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Jun 6: Elon Musk’s ambitious satellite internet venture, Starlink, has finally cleared a crucial regulatory hurdle in India, with the Department of Telecommunications granting it a key license, sources told Reuters on Friday.

The approval brings Starlink a step closer to launching its commercial services in the country, especially in underserved and remote regions.

Starlink had been waiting for the licence since 2022, with the delay reportedly linked to national security concerns. While Starlink has now received clearance, Amazon’s rival satellite venture, Project Kuiper, is still awaiting a go-ahead.

Back in March, Indian telecom giant Bharti Airtel struck a deal with Musk’s SpaceX to roll out Starlink in India, pending official approvals. In a surprising move, Reliance Jio also joined hands with SpaceX, despite earlier differences with Airtel over satellite spectrum policy.

As part of the agreements, Jio is set to stock Starlink kits in its widespread retail network a major boost for Starlink’s distribution reach in India.

Starlink, a division of SpaceX, provides high-speed, low-latency internet using a constellation of over 6,750 satellites in low Earth orbit. The service is already operational in several countries and has millions of active users globally.

With government clearance in hand, Starlink is now poised to revolutionise digital connectivity in India particularly in rural, hilly, and remote terrains where traditional internet infrastructure remains patchy.