Starlink applies to In-Space; seeks to get clearance for setting up Earth stations: Report

The Indian Space Policy 2023 was approved by a Cabinet Committee helmed by PM Modi. The policy delineates responsibility to ISRO, New Space India Limited (NSIL, a space sector PSU), and IN-SPACe. It is a single-window, independent, nodal agency that functions as an autonomous agency in the Department of Space (DOS) and is formed following the Space sector reforms to enable and facilitate the participation of private players.

Last year, SpaceX had applied to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for a global mobile personal communication by satellite services (GMPCS) licence to launch broadband-from-space services in India under its Starlink brand.

Speaking on this a government official told ET, “Starlink have applied to IN-Space, further adding he said that GMPCS application is under process. Giving further update on Starlink’s GMPCS, officials aware of the matter also added that security check from ministry of home affairs is underway and is likely to be granted in a couple of months. Meanwhile, SpaceX is the third company to apply for the licence as Bharti Group-backed OneWeb and Reliance Jio Infocomm’s satellite arm have already secured a GMPCS licence.

Following a meeting with PM Modi in the US last month, Musk said he was keen to launch Starlink in India which “can be incredibly helpful” in remote villages that have no internet or lack high-speed services. Tesla CEO also added that he had a “very good” conversation with PM Modi and said that the electric vehicles maker will try to be in India “as soon as humanly possible”, Reuters reported.

Starlink is lobbying India to not auction the spectrum but just assign licences in line with a global trend, saying it is a natural resource that should be shared by companies. An auction may impose geographical restrictions that will raise costs, it said in company letters made public by the Indian government last month.

Reliance had disagreed and had called for an auction in a public submission to the government, saying foreign satellite service providers could offer voice and data services and compete with traditional telecom players, and so there must be an auction to achieve a level playing field, a report by Reuters had said.

In signs of deepening rivalry, an industry source with direct knowledge said Reliance will continue nudging the Indian government to auction satellite spectrum, and not agree to the demands of foreign companies, the agency stated. 

Earlier in 2021, Starlink’s attempt to launch in India ran afoul of local regulators for taking bookings without a license. Starlink Internet Services halted pre-booking of satellite-based internet services in India.“Starlink is not yet available in your area but as we launch more satellites, we continue to expand our coverage area. Please check back for future availability in your area,” a notification on the website read.

Meanwhile, Mongolia has been granted two licences for SpaceX to operate as an internet service provider using low-orbit satellites. Millions of internet users in Mongolia will be able to access high-speed connection via Starlink, the satellite communications service operated by SpaceX, the government said in a statement. Earlier on 3 July, Australia’s top telecom firm Telstra Group said that it will partner with Elon Musk’s Starlink to provide fixed broadband and voice services to rural Australians.

(With inputs from agencies)

Updated: 11 Jul 2023, 08:25 AM IST

The Indian Space Policy 2023 was approved by a Cabinet Committee helmed by PM Modi. The policy delineates responsibility to ISRO, New Space India Limited (NSIL, a space sector PSU), and IN-SPACe. It is a single-window, independent, nodal agency that functions as an autonomous agency in the Department of Space (DOS) and is formed following the Space sector reforms to enable and facilitate the participation of private players.

Last year, SpaceX had applied to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for a global mobile personal communication by satellite services (GMPCS) licence to launch broadband-from-space services in India under its Starlink brand.

Speaking on this a government official told ET, “Starlink have applied to IN-Space, further adding he said that GMPCS application is under process. Giving further update on Starlink’s GMPCS, officials aware of the matter also added that security check from ministry of home affairs is underway and is likely to be granted in a couple of months. Meanwhile, SpaceX is the third company to apply for the licence as Bharti Group-backed OneWeb and Reliance Jio Infocomm’s satellite arm have already secured a GMPCS licence.

Following a meeting with PM Modi in the US last month, Musk said he was keen to launch Starlink in India which “can be incredibly helpful” in remote villages that have no internet or lack high-speed services. Tesla CEO also added that he had a “very good” conversation with PM Modi and said that the electric vehicles maker will try to be in India “as soon as humanly possible”, Reuters reported.

Starlink is lobbying India to not auction the spectrum but just assign licences in line with a global trend, saying it is a natural resource that should be shared by companies. An auction may impose geographical restrictions that will raise costs, it said in company letters made public by the Indian government last month.

Reliance had disagreed and had called for an auction in a public submission to the government, saying foreign satellite service providers could offer voice and data services and compete with traditional telecom players, and so there must be an auction to achieve a level playing field, a report by Reuters had said.

In signs of deepening rivalry, an industry source with direct knowledge said Reliance will continue nudging the Indian government to auction satellite spectrum, and not agree to the demands of foreign companies, the agency stated. 

Earlier in 2021, Starlink’s attempt to launch in India ran afoul of local regulators for taking bookings without a license. Starlink Internet Services halted pre-booking of satellite-based internet services in India.“Starlink is not yet available in your area but as we launch more satellites, we continue to expand our coverage area. Please check back for future availability in your area,” a notification on the website read.

Meanwhile, Mongolia has been granted two licences for SpaceX to operate as an internet service provider using low-orbit satellites. Millions of internet users in Mongolia will be able to access high-speed connection via Starlink, the satellite communications service operated by SpaceX, the government said in a statement. Earlier on 3 July, Australia’s top telecom firm Telstra Group said that it will partner with Elon Musk’s Starlink to provide fixed broadband and voice services to rural Australians.

(With inputs from agencies)

Updated: 11 Jul 2023, 08:25 AM IST