INTRODUCTION
The year was 2016, when Reliance
Industries entered the Indian telecom market with the brand name Jio. It stormed
the well-settled, Oligopolistic market with big players such as Bharti Airtel,
Idea, and Vodafone Group. Fast forward to 2025, India has one of the lowest
telecom tariffs and the world's highest per-capita data consumption,[1] fueling surges in ed‑tech, fintech, e‑commerce, and e‑governance markets.
Recently, another company made a
similar move, but this time, it's a subsidiary of the international giant
SpaceX. Starlink, the satellite-based internet provider owned by billionaire
Elon Musk, has been granted a Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite
(GMPCS) license to operate in India after a three-year delay.[2] What
exactly is satellite broadband? How does it differ from fiber-and-tower-based
networks, and could Starlink be capable of shaking up connectivity like Jio did
in 2016?
This Blog unpacks the technology, the commercial stakes, and most importantly, the social and geopolitical implications of throwing a blanket of satellites over the world's largest offline population.
WHAT IS STARLINK, AND HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM TRADITIONAL
INTERNET?
What differentiates Starlink's
satellite-based internet service from traditional fiber-optic cables and mobile
towers is that it bypasses the physical infrastructure by beaming internet
signals from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) straight to a user's dish. Starlink's
6750-plus satellites orbit at about 550 km above the Earth's surface, offering
significantly lower latency as compared to the Geostationary (GEO) satellites,
making real-time applications like video calls, live-streaming, and gaming far
more seamless, even in remote areas.[3]
Traditional services are mostly
location-centric; a fiber connection won't work while traveling. Even the 4G/5G
networks require a dense tower network infrastructure and still suffer in
low-coverage zones like hills, sea routes, or deserts.
WHAT DOES STARLINK BRING TO INDIA?
India, being home to over six lakh
villages, yet a significant portion of these villages still lack stable
connectivity. While the government initiatives like BharatNet have improved the
scenario in recent years, geographical challenges and high costs continue to
hinder last-mile connectivity.[4] This is
where satellite-based Internet providers like Starlink offer transformative
advantages.
1. Universal Coverage: This satellite-based network
provider will offer "internet anywhere," whether in a Himalayan
village or the dense Sundarbans Mangrove Forest. This makes it ideal for rural
and geographically challenging regions where laying fiber is costly or
unfeasible.[5]
2. Low Latency & High Speed: With a latency as low as 20-40
milliseconds and speed exceeding 100 Mbps, Starlink is capable of handling
real-time applications like video conferencing, online education, and
telemedicine, even in one of the remotest places in India.[6]
3. Fast Deployment: Existing internet services use miles
of underground fiber cables and vast mobile infrastructure, which can take
months or years to install. Land acquisition challenges, local permissions, and
approval processes add even more elements of time to the process when your site
is remote or in a hilly location. Starlink offers a much more liberating
approach: a simple plug-and-play dish that can be up and working in about an
hour, whether in a high-altitude village, a coastal region, or deep in a
forest.[7]
4. Disaster Resilience: Ground communication networks are frequently and highly
impacted in a natural disaster like floods, earthquakes, or cyclones, and they
would be the first ones to fail at the exact time affected communities need
them the most. Starlink's satellite-powered internet does not use any cables or
cell towers, providing a much more robust solution during these times. Relief
teams can set up a Starlink, restoring connectivity within minutes and ensuring
the affected communities are reached swiftly.
5. Economic Empowerment: Another massive advantage of satellite-based services would be increased e-commerce, digital banking, and other digital economy in rural India. It'll further help fill the digital economy gap in rural and urban areas.
CHALLENGES AND CONCERNS: SECURITY, SOVEREIGNTY &
SUSTAINABILITY
Starlink's entry into the Indian
market after its debut in Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka excites both the
consumer and the policymakers. However, the same attributes that make such
technology so powerful also raise various concerns, as discussed below.
1. Data Sovereignty and U.S. Surveillance: Starlink, the U.S.-licensed "electronic communications
service provider," falls within FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance
Act), giving U.S. intelligence agencies sweeping access to non-U.S. nationals'
communications. Moreover, the other subsidiary of SpaceX, known as Starshield,
also uses similar satellite-based technology specifically for surveillance and
spying purposes. It is also unclear whether Starlink and Starshield's
operations are isolated or connected in some sense. But, considering their
similar technology and the same parent company, it can be construed that some
interoperability exists between them. This not only deepens fears that such a
commercial venture could be leveraged for signal or imagery collection to
India's critical and highly sensitive infrastructure.[8]
Even if such extreme scenarios are ignored, the U.S. has a history of using its private companies to bully its allies and enemies. For instance, it was Starlink that provided the internet capabilities to the Ukrainian military when most of its ground infrastructure was destroyed by the Russians' air force. But later, when Ukraine rejected the U.S. intent to access their rare earth metals in return for the assistance, the U.S. allegedly used the threat of cutting off Starlink services as leverage.[9]. This raises concerns about how geopolitical interests can influence such technology.
2. Strategic Autonomy and Market Dependence: The recent Bharti Airtel and
Reliance Jio arrangements, in which both have agreed to distribute Starlink
kits from their respective retail and business networks, rather than
integrating bandwidth into their networks. This is an unusual model that has
the potential to sideline domestic infrastructure and could even further
entrench reliance on a foreign constellation in a sensitive domain, which would
in the end dilute, indeed freeze, India's efforts to develop such technology
indigenously.
3. Economic Concern: Affordability and Market Sustainability:
While
Starlink promises high-speed connectivity even in the remotest areas, the cost
of accessing it remains the point of contention in rural and low-income
households in India. The installation charges are expected to be around ₹33k-₹35k,
with a monthly subscription charge of approx. ₹3000–₹4200. For many Indian
families, this is simply out of reach.
Beyond consumer affordability, various
experts are also raising questions about its long-term economic viability. Each
Starlink satellite has a lifespan of roughly five years. A plan to expand the
current 6750-plus constellation to 30000 satellites raises questions about
maintenance, continuous replacement, and launch, which could far outweigh the
returns.
4. Environmental Impact: Debris and Astronomy Disruption: Starlink's mega-constellation has
serious environmental consequences, especially for our outer space environment.
After several thousand satellites have been orbiting the planet, and 20,000
more are planned, the number of debris floating in space and the probability of
collisions have increased exponentially.[10] Step on the image of an
overcrowded orbit above Earth, and you have India, which has its own goals,
sharing in the debris and debris issues.
Moreover, astronomers also worry
that Starlink satellites reflect sunlight, impacting ground-based telescopes
and hampering astronomical observations. As a solitary observation, in the
Devasthal Optical Telescope in Uttarakhand, satellites were already causing
visibility problems with trails, which poses potential visibility problems for
India.[11]
5. Regulatory Gaps: While applicable DoT regulations
stipulate that service providers must comply with lawful interception
requirements and route traffic through local gateways, Starlink's
direct-to-consumer model falls outside this regulatory framework. In moving
away from using traditional Indian ISP (Internet Service Provider)
infrastructure, compliance becomes wildly unmanageable regarding the level of
monitoring, data localization, or real-time kill orders. Without clear public
policy and procedures, India may be paving the way to gain connectivity in the
short term, only to relinquish it to a regulatory environment it cannot
control.
CONCLUSION
The arrival of Starlink in India
represents a new front in connectivity; it has the potential to reach places
where the wires never will, from remote villages in the Himalayas to disaster
zones along our coasts. The idea of beaming high-speed Internet from the sky is
indeed revolutionary. However, as with any new powerful technology, it comes
with a new set of difficult questions.
Is it possible to guarantee that
this service will remain affordable for those who genuinely need it? Can India
maintain its digital sovereignty while using a foreign satellite network? Most
importantly, can we satisfy the needs of innovation while sufficiently
enforcing accountability?
The solutions are not only about the
regulation of Starlink, but rather how we influence our overall digital future.
First, we need policies that support inclusion without sacrificing control.
Next, we need local innovation that supports global infrastructure. Finally, we
must view satellite internet as a complementary partner in the space of
connected India, not a substitute. If we get it right, Starlink could do more
than bring the internet to the last village. It could help bring the remotest villages
into the heart of the digital world.
[1] Lohchab H, “ET Graphics: Jio’s Disruptive Entry Revolutionized India’s Telecom Market” The Economic Times (September 5, 2024) <https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/telecom-news/et-graphics-jios-disruptive-entry-revolutionised-indias-telecom-market/articleshow/113104507.cms?from=mdr>
[2] Desk T, “Elon Musk’s Starlink to Launch Internet Services in India within Two Months: Know Price, Plans, Speed, and More” Financial Express (July 2, 2025) <https://www.financialexpress.com/life/technology-elon-musks-starlink-to-launch-internet-services-in-india-within-two-months-know-price-plans-speed-and-more-3900062/>
[3] Wheeler K, “The Future of Satellite Internet: Starlink’s Role Explained” Technology Magazine (March 6, 2025) <https://technologymagazine.com/articles/the-future-of-satellite-internet-starlinks-role-explained>
[4] Dash P, Dash P and Indiaspend, “Why BharatNet Remains an Unfinished Dream” (Indiaspend, February 18, 2025) <https://www.indiaspend.com/governance/why-bharatnet-remains-an-unfinished-dream-942092>
[5] “The Noob’s Guide to Starlink: Background and Practical Overview of Satellite Internet” <https://ig.space/commslink/the-noobs-guide-to-starlink-background-and-practical-satellite-internet>
[6] “The Noob’s Guide to Starlink: Background and Practical Overview of Satellite Internet” <https://ig.space/commslink/the-noobs-guide-to-starlink-background-and-practical-satellite-internet>
[7] ibid
[8] Grover G, “The National Security Implications of Starlink’s Entry into India” The Diplomat (April 17, 2025) <https://thediplomat.com/2025/04/the-national-security-implications-of-starlinks-entry-into-india/>
[9] Reuters, “US Threatens to Shut off Starlink If Ukraine Refuses Minerals Deal: Report” (NDTV, February 22, 2025) <https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/us-threatens-to-shut-off-starlink-if-ukraine-refuses-minerals-deal-report-7769151>
[10] Sankaran V, “Elon Musk’s Starlink Satellites Could Damage the Environment for Decades, Study Says” The Independent (June 23, 2024) <https://www.independent.co.uk/space/elon-musk-spacex-starlink-internet-b2567423.html>
[11] Kolhe N, “Near-Miss Collisions with Starlink Satellites Are
a Wake-Up Call for the Space Sector” The
Wire (March 21, 2025)
<https://m.thewire.in/article/space/near-miss-collisions-with-starlink-satellites-are-a-wake-up-call-for-the-space-sector/amp>
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