Is Elon Musk's Starlink a game-changer for India?

Elon Musk's Starlink is dealing with canceled contracts in Canada and uncertainty over a possible trade dispute between the U.S. and Canada. At the same time, it faces growing competition in Europe, especially with the ongoing war in Ukraine. However, despite these challenges, the U.S. satellite internet company recently got a major opportunity in another part of the world.

India’s two largest telecom companies, Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio, have partnered with Starlink to offer its high-speed internet services. Bharti Airtel announced the partnership on Tuesday, March 11, followed by Reliance Jio on Wednesday, March 12. These agreements will allow both companies to provide Starlink’s internet to their hundreds of millions of customers across the country.

The first major obstacle has been overcome with the announcements of partnerships with Airtel and Jio. However, both Indian companies have stated that the agreements depend on SpaceX getting the necessary approvals to offer Starlink services in India.

Starlink is eager to enter the Indian market, and it’s easy to see why. According to recent government data, India has over 97 crore internet users. This means nearly three-fourths (75%) of the country’s massive population is online. India has the second-largest number of internet users in the world, just after China. However, China’s online space is mostly closed to Western companies, making India an attractive market for companies like Starlink.

India's decision to allow Starlink into its market is quite recent and may also be influenced by political reasons.

Starlink might receive the necessary approvals since its parent company, SpaceX, is owned by Elon Musk, the world’s richest man. Musk donated hundreds of millions of dollars to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s election campaign and is now considered one of the most influential figures in Trump’s administration.Musk’s strong connection with Trump, who has often criticized India’s high import taxes and even warned of imposing similar taxes in return, is likely to play a key role in the political decision-making process.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first world leaders to visit Trump in Washington after he started his second term. During that visit, Modi also met with Elon Musk at the White House. Later, in a post on X (a platform owned by Musk), Modi shared that they talked about space, mobility, technology, and innovation.

Starlink’s Global Coverage

Starlink can deliver fairly fast internet to anyone who has a clear view of the sky, using its network of satellites.

Unlike traditional satellite internet providers, which often have slow speeds and delays, Starlink uses a network of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. These satellites are much closer to Earth than regular satellites, allowing them to send and receive data faster.  

They also communicate with each other, meaning Starlink satellites in space share data directly using laser links instead of always relying on ground stations. This allows the satellites to transfer information across long distances more efficiently, even over oceans or remote areas where ground stations are limited.  

As a result, Starlink provides high-speed internet with minimal delay (latency). Latency refers to the time it takes for data to travel between the user and the satellite, and lower latency means a smoother and faster internet experience.

LEO satellites move  around Earth at very high speeds. They orbit at an altitude of about  500 to 2,000 kilometers (310 to 1,240 miles) above Earth, much lower than traditional satellites. Because they are closer to the planet, they must travel very fast—around 27,000 kilometers per hour (17,000 miles per hour)—to stay in orbit and not fall back to Earth.  

This high speed allows them to complete a full orbit around Earth in about 90 to 120 minutes. Since they move so quickly, ground antennas must continuously track them to maintain a stable internet connection. To ensure continuous coverage, Starlink has a large number of satellites working together in a network, so as one satellite moves out of range, another moves in to take its place.

Starlink has a network of more than 7,000 satellites currently orbiting Earth.

In 2024, the company announced that it had over 46 lakhs users worldwide, including about 14 lakhs subscribers in the United States.

Starlink has the biggest network of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites in the world. Meanwhile, Jeff Bezos’ company, Amazon, is working on Project Kuiper, which aims to send 3,236 satellites into space.

Right now, Eutelsat OneWeb has over 630 satellites in space. At the same time, SpaceX has plans to grow its satellite network to 42,000 in the future.

Starlink is available in most of North America, South America, Australia, and some parts of Europe. Bhutan recently became the first  South Asian country where Starlink is legally operating.

How Starlink Provides Internet Connectivity

• To use Starlink, users need a satellite dish and a router, which connect to satellites orbiting Earth.
• The dish automatically adjusts to link with the nearest Starlink satellite group, ensuring a stable internet connection.
• While Starlink is mainly for stationary use, it can also provide internet on moving vehicles, boats, and aircraft with extra hardware.

Starlink Plans and Speeds: What Could Be Available in India?

According to Business Today, Starlink has not yet revealed its plans for India. However, looking at Bhutan’s pricing and internet speeds can give us an idea of what to expect when it launches in India.

Starlink Plans in Bhutan:

• Residential Lite Plan – Rs 3,001 per month
• internet Speed: 23 Mbps to 100 Mbps
• Best for: Basic browsing, social media, and video streaming

Standard Residential Plan

• Price: Rs 4,201 per month
• Speed Range: 25 Mbps to 110 Mbps
• Unlimited data for gaming, HD streaming, and video calls

If Starlink launches in India, its pricing and internet speeds are expected to be competitive with other satellite broadband providers, such as Bharti-backed OneWeb and Jio-SES.

Since India imposes a 30% higher tax on foreign digital services, Starlink’s internet plans could be more expensive than in Bhutan. The starting price in India might be around Rs 3,500 to Rs 4,500 per month, depending on the tax structure and additional costs.

How Starlink Works on Boats? 

Starlink offers two internet plans for boats. The first plan costs $250 per month (Rs 21,250) and includes 50GB of data. The second plan is much more expensive, priced at $1,000 per month (Rs 85,000), but provides 1TB of data. These options cater to different needs based on data usage and budget.

To set up Starlink on a boat, you'll need to buy the hardware, which costs $2,500 (Rs 2,12,500). If needed, you can also get optional accessories like a pipe adaptor for $120 (Rs 10,200) and a Gen 3 Wi-Fi router for $199 (Rs 16,915). These add-ons can improve the setup based on your needs.

If you're looking for a more affordable option, you can use the standard Starlink kit on a boat. However, it will only work when the boat is not moving.

In December 2024, the police in Andaman and Nicobar Islands seized a Starlink satellite dish from a group of drug smugglers. They were allegedly using a fishing boat to transport methamphetamine worth Rs 36,000 crore. The satellite internet may have helped them communicate at sea, making it harder for authorities to track their movements.

Starlink vs Fiber

In urban areas, fiber-based broadband services like JioFiber and Airtel Xstream provide faster internet at lower prices compared to Starlink. However, Starlink could be a game-changer in rural and remote parts of India, where fiber connections are either unreliable or not available. With its satellite-based technology, Starlink can deliver high-speed internet to places where traditional broadband services struggle to reach.

(The author Girish Linganna of this article is an award-winning Science Writer and a Defence, Aerospace & Political Analyst based in Bengaluru. He is also Director of ADD Engineering Components, India, Pvt. Ltd, a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany. You can reach him at: girishlinganna@gmail.com)

(Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own and do not reflect those of DNA)