Elon Musk’s aerospace company SpaceX has established a subsidiary in India for its satellite division, Starlink. Starlink Satellite Communications Private Limited (SSCPL), as it is now known, is one step closer to obtaining permits and launching full-scale operations in the country. The news comes as the company has already received over 5,000 preorders in India.
Satellite-based internet services will be provided in 12 underserved districts around the country. Sanjay Bhargava, SpaceX’s country director for India, told Business Standard that the company plans to install 200,000 satellite broadband terminals in India by December 2022, with 80 per cent of them in rural areas. As a proof of concept, Starlink is collaborating with Niti Aayog to connect 100 schools (20 in Delhi and the rest in rural districts).
They will release a finalised list of districts soon. Starlink expects to have 200,000 terminals available by December 2022. Starlink will install 80 per cent of these terminals (160,000) in India’s rural areas.
Starlink’s satellite broadband service will cost around Rs 1 lakh per year (around $100 per month) in India, with the kit, which includes the dish, modem, and cable, costing around Rs 40,000. Customers must pre-book to get a connection.
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