Elon Musk's Starlink Prepares for Technical and Security Demonstrations in Mumbai to Meet Indian Regulatory Requirements

New Delhi:

Starlink, led by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, is set to conduct demonstration sessions in Mumbai on October 30 and 31 to showcase its compliance with India's technical and security requirements for satellite broadband services, according to sources familiar with the plans.

These demonstrations, which will take place before law enforcement agencies, will utilize provisional spectrum allocated to Starlink, representing a crucial advancement prior to the company's anticipated entry into India's satellite broadband market.

This demonstration phase is essential for Starlink to secure the necessary clearances before launching commercial operations in India.

The company will demonstrate compliance with both security and technical conditions stipulated in the Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) authorization.

India has witnessed the entry of more than 10 satellite operators, including the licensed Starlink, with the private sector now permitted to hold up to 100 percent foreign direct investment (FDI).

Elon Musk's Starlink stands as the world's leading satcom operator with a constellation comprising 7,578 satellites. Currently, India has granted required approvals to Starlink, the Reliance Jio-SES joint venture, and Bharti Group-backed Eutelsat OneWeb to provide satellite communication services within the country.

The introduction of direct-to-cell communications service, which enables signals to transmit directly from satellites to mobile phones, has bolstered India's expanding satellite communications market.

Internet accessibility remains limited in certain areas of India, highlighting the importance of satellite internet as a complementary solution to conventional networks. Satellite internet delivers connectivity through satellites positioned in either Geostationary Orbits (GSO) or Non-Geostationary Orbits (NGSO).

In August, the government announced that all data, traffic information, and other details collected by Elon Musk's Starlink will be stored within India, with domestic user traffic prohibited from being mirrored to any systems or servers located outside the country.