Starlink receives DoT approval for Indian operations
Elon Musk's Starlink just scored a key license from India's Department of Telecom, making it the third company allowed to bring satellite internet to the country—joining Airtel-backed OneWeb and Reliance Jio.
Before you see Starlink in action, though, they'll need to clear spectrum and security checks.
Starlink to get trial spectrum access soon
Starlink is expected to get trial spectrum access in the next couple of weeks. This lets them prove their tech works and meets security standards.
As Telecom Secretary Neeraj Mittal put it, final approval will come "only after" these boxes are ticked—and yes, the government is actively helping out.
Meanwhile, Amazon's Kuiper project is still waiting its turn.
Starlink's entry aligns with India's push for telecom innovation
Starlink's entry lines up with India's big push for telecom innovation—think rural connectivity pilots, 6G research, and new chipsets through the Telecom Technology Development Fund.
More competition means faster progress toward better digital access across India.