Ashwini Vaishnaw Welcomes Starlink to India, Highlights Its Usefulness for Remote Projects
Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday welcomed Elon Musk’s Starlink to India, stating that its satellite broadband services would be beneficial for railway projects in remote areas.
Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday welcomed Elon Musk’s Starlink to India, stating that its satellite broadband services would be beneficial for railway projects in remote areas.
“Starlink, welcome to India! Will be useful for remote area railway projects,” Vaishnaw posted on X (formerly Twitter), acknowledging the potential of SpaceX’s low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellite constellation in improving connectivity.
His statement came after Mukesh Ambani’s Jio Platforms announced a deal with SpaceX to bring Starlink’s high-speed broadband internet services to India. The partnership marks a significant development in India’s satellite internet sector, which is witnessing increasing competition.
Jio, Bharti Airtel Compete in Satellite Internet Race
The Jio-SpaceX agreement comes just a day after telecom giant Bharti Airtel, led by Sunil Bharti Mittal, signed a similar deal with SpaceX. Bharti Airtel is already a partner with Eutelsat OneWeb, the world’s second-largest LEO satellite operator.
Jio, on the other hand, has an existing joint venture with SES, a global provider of satellite-based connectivity solutions. Jio Space Technology Limited, where Jio holds a 51% stake and SES 49%, aims to use a combination of geostationary (GEO) and medium-earth-orbit (MEO) satellites to offer multi-gigabit internet services across India and nearby regions.
Starlink Awaits Regulatory Approvals in India
While the entry of Starlink signals a transformative shift in India’s internet connectivity landscape, its operations are still awaiting regulatory clearances. The company must meet India’s security norms and secure a Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) licence from the Department of Telecommunications. Additionally, Starlink needs approval from IN-SPACe, the Indian space regulator, and spectrum allocation from the government before launching its services.
As satellite-based internet services gain momentum in India, the competition among Jio, Bharti Airtel, and SpaceX is expected to drive significant advancements in bridging the connectivity gap, particularly in remote and rural areas.
Sources By Agencies
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