A new revolution is about to come in the internet world in India. Elon Musk’s satellite internet company, Starlink, is preparing for its full launch in India. According to reports, the company is planning to build nine Gateway Earth stations across the country, including in major cities like Mumbai, Noida, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Lucknow. It is believed that with this step, high-speed internet facility will be available even in remote areas of India, where there is no mobile network.
600 gigabit speed capacity and testing started
According to a report in The Economic Times, Starlink has applied for 600 gigabit per second capacity in India through its Generation 1 satellite constellation. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has allotted temporary spectrum to the company for a demo to confirm security standards. Under this permission, Starlink is allowed to import 100 user terminals and conduct a demo of fixed satellite service only.
Strict security rules and monitoring
The government has imposed strict conditions on Starlink to prevent any abuse. The company had proposed to bring in foreign technical experts to operate its stations, but the government has clarified that only Indian citizens will be able to operate these stations until security clearance is obtained from the Home Ministry.
Security concerns raised earlier
Indian security agencies had earlier raised concerns about illegal use of Starlink terminals in some restricted areas. In March 2025, the Home Ministry had directed the Department of Telecommunications to investigate after illegal Starlink equipment was seized in Manipur and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Subsequently, the government has mandated data localization and regular reporting.
Data will remain in India only
During the trial, the company will not be able to provide its services to the public. Any data generated during this period will have to be stored securely in India. Additionally, Starlink will have to send a report to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and security agencies every 15 days, containing information on where its stations are located, which terminals are being used and the location of users.