Starlink India Private Limited is reportedly planning to set up nine gateway Earth stations across key cities such as Mumbai, Noida, Chandigarh, Kolkata, and Lucknow, as the company prepares the groundwork for the commercial rollout of its satellite communication (satcom) services in India.
The company has been granted permission to import up to 100 terminals, with testing restricted solely to fixed satellite services.
Further, officials noted that strict safeguards have been imposed to prevent potential misuse while the company conducts demonstrations of all parameters required for satcom service approval. Given that satcom is a sensitive domain vulnerable to exploitation by anti-national elements, companies in the sector are mandated to comply with stringent security norms.
Although Starlink sought to deploy foreign technical experts at its gateway sites, the government has directed that only Indian nationals may operate the stations until the Ministry of Home Affairs grants security clearance to foreign personnel.
