Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite subsidiary, has filed an application with Indian regulators to operate a direct-to-device satellite network that would allow ordinary mobile phones to connect to satellites without special equipment. India’s space regulatory body IN-SPACe previously rejected a Starlink application for its second-generation satellites, citing the absence of a suitable regulatory framework. The company holds a valid five-year IN-SPACe license for basic satellite services through July 2030, and its Gen 1 constellation has received approval for conventional satellite broadband in the country. Established Indian telecom operators like Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel are closely monitoring the situation due to competitive concerns over spectrum allocation and their terrestrial network investments. Starlink’s global launch of Gen 2 satellites, scheduled to begin in mid-2027, is putting pressure on Indian authorities to finalize their D2D regulatory framework or risk falling behind.
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