Telecom operator Bharti Airtel on Tuesday said it has signed an agreement with billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX to bring Starlink's satellite internet service to India. The announcement was made nearly a month after Musk met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington and discussed strengthening collaboration in space, mobility, technology and innovation.
"Airtel and SpaceX will explore offering Starlink equipment in Airtel's retail stores, Starlink services via Airtel to business customers, opportunities to connect communities, schools, and health centers, among many others, in even the most rural parts of India," the company said in a statement.
SpaceX's chief operating officer, Gwynne Shotwell, said the company was "excited" to work with Airtel" and unlock the "transformative impact" Starlink can bring to the people of India.
Airtel announces an agreement with @SpaceX to bring Starlink's high-speed internet services to its customers in India. This is the first agreement to be signed in India, which is subject to SpaceX receiving its own authorizations to sell @Starlink in India. It enables Airtel and… pic.twitter.com/5MxViKxh9C
— Bharti Airtel (@airtelnews) March 11, 2025
The announcement also follows Musk's signing a deal for the first Tesla showroom in India to sell imported electric cars.
How Elon Musk's Starlink Will Help India
The collaboration between Airtel and Starlink - which has been trying to push into the Indian market since 2021 - will help the two companies bring high-speed broadband to the most remote parts of India, which is one of the world's biggest telecom markets and has nearly 100 crore users.
Many remote regions in the country lack reliable internet due to the high cost and logistical challenges of laying fiber-optic cables or building mobile towers.
Starlink's satellite-based system, however, could help bridge the gap and offer high-speed internet, about 25-220 Mbps, to these areas.
Currently, out of 6,44,131 villages in the country, 6,15,836 have 4G mobile connectivity.
How Much Starlink May Cost In India
Elon Musk's Starlink has so far not announced pricing in India, where Internet data prices are currently among the cheapest in the world. However, in 2022, the then Starlink India Country Director, Sanjay Bhargava, said it could cost Rs 1,58,000 for the first year.
From the second year, it could cost Rs 1,15,000, Mr Bhargava had said.
None of the Indian neighbours, except Bhutan, have access to Starlink.
In Bhutan, Starlink's 'Residential Lite Plan' costs about Rs 3,000 per month and offers speeds from 23 Mbps to 100 Mbps. The 'Standard Residential Plan' costs about Rs 4,200 per month and offers speeds from 25 Mbps to 110 Mbps.
Starlink is currently available in over 100 countries. In Kenya, it is priced at $10 per month, while at $120 in the US.
How India's Telecom, Internet Infrastructure Has Grown
Internet connectivity in India - the world's most populous country - has risen rapidly in recent years. According to the data provided by the government, Internet connections have jumped from about 25 crore in 2014 to over 96 crore in 2024, a growth of 285.53%.
Broadband connections, on the other hand, have increased by 1,452% - from about 6 crore in 2014 to 94 crore in 2024.
Average monthly data consumption per wireless data subscriber has increased by 353 times - from 61.66 MB in 2014 to 21.30 GB in 2024.
The country has also seen the fastest rollout of 5G services in the world, with over 4.62 lakh BTS (Base Transceiver Station) deployed across 779 districts, the government data has shown.
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