Battle of titans: Starlink gets licence in India

Elon Musk-promoted Starlink, the world's largest space-based communication company, has got licence to operate in India, more than two years after it filed an application.

- SUBHAYAN CHAKRABORTY

The satellite broadband licence for the American major, which has a presence in over 125 countries, has come at a time when the industry stands divided over the issue of spectrum pricing and the method of allocation of airwaves.

Starlink's entry into India is likely to make satellite broadband a highly competitive space, according to analysts. Officially joining Eutelsat OneWeb, backed by Sunil Bharti Mittal's Airtel, and Mukesh Ambani-led Jio Satellite Communications Ltd in the satcom race, Starlink can now begin marketing its subscriptions in India and open registration for the service, officials said. Earlier this year, in a surprising move, rivals Airtel and Jio had entered a partnership with Musk's SpaceX to distribute Starlink's equipment and services at their own retail stores, to their own customers. However, existing telcos like Airtel and Jio remain opposed to Starlink's view on how spectrum should be allocated.