Starlink's Entry into India

Elon Musk-promoted Starlink, a major space-based communication company, has received a license to operate in India after a two-year application process.

Market Impact and Competition

• Starlink, now licensed, is set to join the competitive satellite broadband space in India, alongside Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications Ltd.
• Airtel and Jio, while partnering with SpaceX for equipment distribution, disagree with Starlink's spectrum allocation methods.

Spectrum Allocation Controversy

• Telecom companies opposed Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's (Trai) recommendation for spectrum allocation to satellite broadband firms at 4% of adjusted gross revenue (AGR).
• The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Trai rejected claims of unfair practice by existing telecom companies.

Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) License

• Starlink's GMPCS license was issued one month after a letter of intent. It allows the application for trial spectrum to test technology.
• A response from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) regarding final approval is pending.

International Expansion

• Operating in over 125 countries with more than 7,600 low earth orbit satellites, Starlink continues its expansion into developing countries.
• Recent developments include operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and provisional registration in Pakistan.

Regulatory Challenges

• Starlink's application faced delays due to ownership disclosure norms and security requirements.
• Compliance with a new security directive enabled Starlink to secure permissions, despite initial skepticism from analysts.

Trai released recommendations on the pricing and allocation guidelines, indicating a structured approach to satellite spectrum management in India.