Starlink to launch with ₹3,000 monthly plans in India; Telecom ministry puts 20 lakh connections cap

Days after Elon Musk’s Starlink received the IN-SPACe approval, the Telecom ministry revealed that the private satellite communication service provider will launch its internet service at a monthly cost of around ₹3,000. Speaking to media on the sidelines of the BSNL review meeting on Monday, Union Minister of State for Communications, Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani shared that Starlink is not expected to pose any competitive threat to existing telecom operators like BSNL, Reliance Jio, or Bharti Airtel.

Additionally, the higher upfront cost of the Starlink terminal, which is expected to range between ₹33,000 and ₹35,000, is further likely to restrict mass adoption, especially in urban markets dominated by affordable terrestrial networks.

Further, the ministry has put a cap of 20 lakh (2 million) connections across the country for Starlink, with peak speeds of up to 200 Mbps and expected average speeds around 100 Mbps.

The government sees satellite broadband as a complementary solution aimed primarily at underserved and remote regions, where ground-based infrastructure is limited. Starlink’s direct-to-consumer services will focus on rural areas, while its commercial partnerships with Jio and Airtel will support satellite backhaul and enterprise connectivity.

The move follows Starlink’s recent regulatory clearance after earlier policy violations led to halted pre-orders in 2021.

Union Minister of Communications, Jyotiraditya Scindia chaired the review meeting with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL)’s Chief General Managers (CGMs) in New Delhi, on Monday. The meeting was convened to review BSNL’s operational progress and to outline the company’s strategy for network and service delivery expansion. At the meeting, Dr. Pemmasani added that over 90% of BSNL’s technical issues have now been resolved, with 30,000 power stations replaced at a cost of ₹600–700 crore. BSNL has reported a 20–30% revenue increase in Q1 FY25 after launching its 4G services. Efforts are also underway to boost BSNL’s subscriber base, with individual targets set for each telecom circle.