Speaking at the India Mobile Congress on Wednesday, Starlink's vice-president of business operations, Lauren Dreyer, said the company had established 20 gateway sites equipped with hundreds of antennas across India. She also maintained that Starlink had developed systems to comply with Indian security requirements, including safeguards for keeping Indian user data within the country.
Musk alleges market obstruction
The dispute intensified after Musk alleged on X that certain "oligarchs" were preventing Starlink from entering India to protect their existing market positions. He did not identify any individual or company, and the allegations have not been independently established.
The billionaire entrepreneur argued that delaying Starlink's launch was depriving Indian consumers, particularly those in underserved regions, of access to satellite-based broadband connectivity. The government, however, maintained that security requirements applied equally to all operators and that no company could receive preferential clearance.
Spectrum allocation remains pending
The commercial launch also depends on the finalisation of satellite spectrum assignment procedures. India has adopted an administrative allocation framework for satellite spectrum, although the proposed spectrum usage charges and associated conditions remain subject to regulatory decisions.
Starlink has entered into distribution partnerships with Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel as part of its preparations for the Indian market. Its proposed services are expected to focus particularly on rural, remote and difficult-to-reach areas where conventional broadband infrastructure remains limited.
Despite obtaining key licences and investing in ground infrastructure, Starlink has yet to announce a confirmed date for beginning commercial operations in India. The government has not provided a definitive timeline for completing the remaining regulatory procedures.