Priyanka Tiwari
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According to Pawan Kumar Goenka, the Chairman of IN-SPACe, the arrival of Elon Musk's Starlink satellite based internet services in India is of no relevance to the Space Industry. His remarks were made as Jio Platforms and Bharti Airtel partnered with the leading satellite internet provider from the US in quick succession.
Earlier in the day, Jio announced a pact with SpaceX to bring Starlink's internet services to India a day after the first deal was signed by Bharti Airtel.
These contracts depend on SpaceX gaining permission to market Starlink in India. However, there are still many regulatory restrictions which stand in the way of the launch of Starlink India. Starlink is not authorized to begin operations on India as of now. Neither are the authorities in cha rge of the India Space Program called IN-SPACe, nor does the Department of Telecommunications.
In 2021, the company had accepted pre-orders for Starlink in India, but payments ordered had to be refunded because insufficient approvals were obtained.
As much as is permitted by the supervisor of the space systems there is no doubt that Goenka's entry to the country might make a mark on the Indian telecommunications industry.
Services from Starlink could potentially add value to the ongoing initiatives aimed at improving digital access in rural and underserved regions.
The government has sought for broader coverage of the internet, and bridging the digital gap will increasingly require satellite solutions.
Goenka said that New Delhi is likely to be indifferent in great depth concerning the new tariffs from the United States and the chance of retaliation.
As such, he noted, India has already put measures in place to protect the space sector from the volatility of tariffs.
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