New Delhi: Elon Musk has renewed his push for Starlink’s entry into India, saying the satellite internet service could play a crucial role in connecting the country’s least served communities, particularly those living in rural and remote regions.
Responding to a post on X about India’s digital connectivity gap, Musk said Starlink would help provide internet access where traditional mobile infrastructure remains limited. His remarks come as India continues working on the regulatory framework for satellite communication services.
The discussion was sparked by data showing that 11,256 villages in India still lacked 4G coverage as of May 2026. Although the country had 1.093 billion internet subscriptions by March 2026, only 440.87 million were in rural areas. Rural internet subscription density stood at 48.31 per 100 people, compared with 126.80 in urban India, highlighting the significant digital divide.
Starlink, operated by SpaceX, delivers high speed internet through a constellation of low Earth orbit satellites. The technology is designed to provide connectivity in areas where laying fibre or building mobile towers is difficult, including mountainous regions, islands, border areas and locations affected by natural disasters.
The company is currently awaiting regulatory approvals to begin commercial operations in India. It has submitted a fresh application after an earlier proposal for its Gen 2 satellite network was rejected over technical and spectrum related compliance issues. The updated application is being reviewed as the government finalises policies governing satellite spectrum allocation.
Starlink executives have confirmed that discussions with Indian authorities are ongoing, signalling continued interest in launching services in one of the world’s largest internet markets.
At the same time, the global satellite internet race is intensifying. Chinese company SpaceSail has secured nearly $1 billion in funding to expand its low Earth orbit satellite constellation, positioning itself as a major competitor to Starlink in the rapidly growing space based broadband sector.
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