New Delhi: Elon Musk’s satellite internet venture, Starlink, is “almost licensed” to operate in India, Union Minister of Communications and Minister for Development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya Scindia has said.
In an exclusive interview with ThePrint on Tuesday, Scindia said that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) earlier issued a Letter of Intent (LOI) to Starlink. The final approvals are pending from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe).
“Currently, two companies—OneWeb and Reliance—have received licences for satellite connectivity. The process for Starlink is also nearly complete. The LOI has been issued. And I believe it (Starlink) will get the licence soon,” Scindia said.
“The next step involves securing approval from IN-SPACe. All three licence holders must undergo this process before beginning operations,” he added.
In the meantime, Scindia said, OneWeb and Reliance received spectrum allocations on a “minimal exploratory basis” to begin testing their services. Once licensed, Starlink will likely follow a similar path.
“After this, TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) will provide policy norms for administrative spectrum allocation, which will govern commercial rollout,” Scindia said.
The minister emphasised that satellite internet would be vital to bridging India’s last-mile connectivity gap, particularly in remote areas, where laying fibre optic cables or installing towers remained unviable.
“In India, there are many regions where no telecom tower can reach and laying OFC is impossible. Satellite is the only option there,” Scindia said. “It is not about platform competition; it is about giving consumers a choice.”
“As the minister of communications, it is my responsibility to provide a bouquet of services to consumers. The choice of which to use must lie with them,” he added.
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BharatNet 2.0: Expanding ground connectivity
Scindia said the Modi government’s Rs 1.39 lakh crore BharatNet 2.0 programme, which aimed to connect 2.5 lakh village panchayats and an additional 3.8 lakh villages on demand, would complement the space-based rollout.
Key upgrades in the new phase include a shift from a linear to a ring topology, network downtime, and ensuring service redundancy.
The project includes a 10-year OPEX (operating expenses) component alongside capital expenditure to ensure long-term sustainability.
“We have moved away from just CAPEX-focused design. Under the ring topology, even if one connection fails, the network reroutes itself. And with OPEX, maintenance becomes the service provider’s responsibility,” he explained.
“BharatNet will now connect not just rural India to the nation but also to the world.”
Operation Sindoor & national security
On matters of national security, Scindia referenced recent military actions in Jammu and Kashmir under Operation Sindoor, asserting the prerogative to give a firm response to threats.
“Those who thought of wiping off the ‘sindoor’ of our sisters and mothers have been, themselves, wiped out,” he said, underscoring the assertive posture taken by the Modi government.
India, he further said, had never believed in initiating conflict. “But if innocent citizens are targets, the response to a brick will be with a stone,” he stated.
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Shashi Tharoor & ‘India First’ Doctrine
Asked about the criticism of MP Shashi Tharoor within the Congress for his participation in an all-party delegation representing India abroad, Scindia said everyone should view the role of the delegation through the lens of national unity.
“Every person on that delegation went as an Indian. Difficulties arise when the country is not the priority. For some elements, their interests come first. In such cases, neither you nor I need to say anything—the people of India already have,” he said.
Revival of BSNL & 5G roll-out
Scindia credited the turnaround of BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited) to the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, along with the hard work of the BSNL employees.
According to Scindia, the installation of 93,000 4G towers, out of a target of 1,00,000, is already complete. Once stabilised, these towers, using the same software core, will be upgraded to 5 G.
“I take no personal credit. The Prime Minister showed the vision, and the BSNL family delivered,” he said.
Meanwhile, as of 1 January this year, MTNL was fully merged into BSNL and will now function as a shell entity for debt resolution and asset management. “Operationally, MTNL (Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited) is under BSNL. We will negotiate and settle its debt with banks,” he said.
Spam calls, cybersecurity & consumer protection
The Union minister also outlined ongoing efforts to curb cyber fraud, spam calls, and mobile misuse.
Scindia highlighted the blocking of 1.3 crore spoof calls in a single day over the last few months, along with the deactivation of more than three crore fake mobile connections and 25–30 lakh WhatsApp-linked numbers suspected of misuse.
He also reported the launch of a new telecom consumer portal and app to report stolen phones, SIM misuse, and cloned accounts. “Our responsibility is to ensure both connectivity and safety. Technology must empower—not endanger—our citizens,” Scindia added.
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)
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