NEW DELHI: The Indian government has agreed to a conditional nod for SpaceX’s Starlink to start offering satellite-based internet services in the country, television news channel CNBC-TV18 reported on Thursday.

Starlink and the Indian Department of Telecommunications did not immediately respond to emails asking for comment.

Starlink in March signed agreements with Indian telecom operators Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Reliance Industries Jio, in moves that would give the US firm greater access to the world’s most populous nation.

Elon Musk and Mukesh Ambani, who chairs the Reliance conglomerate, were at loggerheads over how airwaves should be assigned for satellite internet, with New Delhi finally siding with the allocation approach the US billionaire lobbied for.

Starlink has been waiting since 2022 for licenses to operate commercially in India. New Delhi had long-delayed clearances for reasons including national security concerns.

Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2025