Starlink's direct-to-device plans hit a speed bump in India
Starlink, Elon Musk's satellite internet company, is facing fresh regulatory hurdles in India.
The country's space authority has only approved Starlink's first batch of satellites for regular broadband—not the newer Gen 2 satellites needed for their Direct-to-Device (D2D) service.
The reason? Some frequency bands aren't cleared, and certain requirements haven't been met yet.
What's holding things up?
Starlink applied for these permissions years ago, but D2D tech was still new back then.
Now, regulators want a new application to review the latest tech and frequency use.
On top of that, Starlink is waiting on final security clearance as Indian officials look closely at how the service is run globally—including concerns about unauthorized use in places like Iran.
Why does this matter?
With global satellite internet heating up (the US just greenlit thousands more Gen 2 satellites), India could be a huge market for next-gen connectivity.
For now, though, Starlink has to work through more red tape—and the company has taken steps such as obtaining licenses, leasing offices and hiring staff.