Elon Musk's SpaceX Inks Deal With Airtel to Launch Starlink Satellite in India

Bharti Airtel has signed a deal with Elon Musk's SpaceX to launch Starlink satellite internet in India. This partnership aims to bring high-speed internet to even the most remote parts of the country, enhancing connectivity for businesses, schools, health centers, and communities.

The collaboration will also explore how Starlink can complement and expand Airtel's offerings, utilizing Airtel's ground network infrastructure.

This move comes after the Indian government sided with Musk on the spectrum allocation issue, favoring administrative allocation over auctions. The deal is still subject to regulatory approvals for SpaceX to operate Starlink in India.

Airtel and SpaceX will explore offering Starlink equipment in Airtel's retail stores and providing Starlink services to business customers. They also plan to use Starlink to bring high-speed internet to rural schools, health centers, and remote areas.

Additionally, the Airtel-Starlink collaboration will explore how Starlink can complement and expand Airtel's offerings, utilizing Airtel's ground network infrastructure. This includes leveraging Airtel's expertise in the Indian market to enhance SpaceX's direct offerings to consumers and businesses.

By adding Starlink to its portfolio, Airtel aims to expand its coverage into regions with little to no internet. This will provide businesses and communities in remote areas with more choices for high-speed internet connectivity, thereby improving their digital experience.

Gopal Vittal, Managing Director and Vice Chairman of Bharti Airtel, expressed excitement about the partnership, highlighting its significance in bringing next-generation satellite connectivity to India.

Gwynne Shotwell, President and Chief Operating Officer of SpaceX, emphasized the transformative impact Starlink can bring to the people of India and praised the collaboration with Airtel.

Starlink delivers high-speed, low-latency internet to users all over the world. As the world's first and largest satellite constellation using a low Earth orbit, Starlink delivers broadband internet capable of supporting streaming, online gaming, video calls and more.  Starlink is engineered and operated by SpaceX. As the world’s leading provider of launch services, SpaceX is leveraging its deep experience with both spacecraft and on-orbit operations to deploy the world’s most advanced broadband internet system.