Are you ready to experience a different way of how India connects? Can you imagine a world where villages, small towns, your farms and even the mountain region receive the same high speed internet as metro cities? Elon Musk is planning to make it happen in India.
India is making rapid advancements in the digital infrastructure but connectivity still remains a major challenge specially in rural and remote areas. Starlink by Elon Musk is all set to enter India to provide connectivity via satellite. The main aim is to connect some of India’s rural and remote regions.
But have you thought about what will be the price and the speed of the internet through starlink satellite? Let’s figure it out here in this blog. Read along to know what is starlink, how it works and what are current status updates for Starlink India.
Table of Contents
What is Starlink?
Starlink is a satellite based internet service, started by Elon Musk’s company SpaceX. It is completely different from the traditional internet services which relies on cables and towers for connectivity. Starlink sends signals from a group of low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites to a small dish which is installed at the user’s home.
The Starlink India will move much closer to the Earth, around 550 km which is very close as compared to the traditional websites which are around 36,000 km away. This will enhance the connectivity and make the internet much quicker and more reliable, even in the remote areas and regions with low connectivity.
The planning of deploying more than thousands of satellites is already going on and 6000 satellites have already been deployed. The aim of Starlink India is to provide high-speed internet access specially in the areas where the physical infrastructure is hard to build.
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How Much will Starlink India Cost You?
Starlink India is not going to be very cheap, especially in the beginning. As per the reports coming out, the one time installation cost for the Starlink kit including dish, router and accessories will be around ₹30,000- ₹33,000.
It is expected that after the installation is complete, the monthly subscription will start from ₹3000/month which will offer unlimited high speed data. The Starlink plan might seem expensive especially when there are multiple other fiber broadband plans available in Indian cities but it is still a game changer for the rural and remote areas where there are no other high speed internet alternatives.
Some sources also say that an entry level plan will be introduced for around ₹850/month, possibly for educational programs. However, no official confirmation has been made yet regarding the entry level plans. At least for now, the value of Starlink lies in its accessibility not the affordability.
Government’s Approval and Launch Timeline
Elon Musk is all set to launch Starlink in India. After so many years of waiting Starlink has finally received the official licensing by the government. The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe) granted Starlink the permission to operate in India in July 2025.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued the Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) along with the unified license, which has allowed Starlink to offer internet services legally in the country.
The final step required to be completed before the launch of Starlink in India is getting approval for the spectrum (the radio waves used to send signals). The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).
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Benefits of Starlink
The introduction of Starlink in India will majorly benefit the rural households, remote schools, hospitals, farms, border areas and tribal regions.
These are the areas where the internet is not just about entertainment but it’s about survival, education, health and growth. With Starlink India farmers will get better and improved access weather data, students to attend online classes and local businesses to operate digitally.
The traditional practices for internet connectivity are complex and cannot be used in the places with low connectivity. Urban users might also get advantage with the launch of Starlink India, as it will help at times when the regular internet stops working or in the gated societies where it is hard to install cables.
How Is Starlink Different from Traditional Internet?
Starlink uses a completely new and different technology as compared to the traditional internet services like fiber broadband or mobile data. You can have a look at the below table to understand the major differences between Starlink and the Traditional internet services like fiber broadband, mobile data connections etc.
| FEATURE | STARLINK INDIA | FIBER BROADBAND | MOBILE DATA (4G/5G) |
| Connection Type | Send signals from satellites in low Earth orbit | Uses underground fiber or copper cables | Uses mobile towers to transmit data |
| Coverage Area | Almost anywhere with a clear view of sky | Limited to cities and towns with cable access | Widely accessible but weak in remote areas |
| Installation time | Quick setup with dish and router | Requires wiring and professional installation | No setup needed only phone and SIM required |
| Speed Range | 50-220 Mbps | 50-1000 Mbps (depends on plan) | 10-300 Mbps |
| Best for | Remote/Rural areas, backup internet | Urban homes, offices | On-the-go usage, browsing or scrolling |
How Will Starlink India Help Rural Regions?
Getting a stable internet connection specially in the rural areas is a tough job because fiber optic cables cannot reach villages or remote areas and mobile data is slow or unreliable in these regions.
Starlink promises to change this by providing high speed internet directly from space, no towers or underground wires are required. Starlink India will help the people of the rural areas as it can make a huge difference in their lives where no other option exists.
You can have a look at some of the below examples to understand how the introduction of Starlink will help people in the rural areas.
- Students from rural areas will be finally able to attend online classes and access educational videos without buffering.
- Farmers can check real time weather updates, market prices and government schemes online which will help them to make better decisions.
- Rural health centers and clinics can connect with the bigger hospitals and get help whenever required.
- Self-employed, small business owners can take their businesses to a digital level and expand their small businesses online.
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Starlink India Setup: What’s in the box?
The Starlink kit comes with multiple products to get you started. When you order for a Starlink connection, you receive a Starlink kit which includes everything you need for getting the Starlink connection set up. The Starlink kit includes the following items:
- Starlink Dish: The Starlink Dish is also known as Dishy. It is a round, flat device that catches signals from the satellites. It moves by itself to find the best signal in the sky.
- Wi-Fi Router: A Wi-Fi router is a device that connects to the dish and gives you internet on your phone, laptop, TV or any other device without using any connecting wires.
- Mounting Stand or Pole: You will also receive a stand to hold the dish in place. The dish is usually kept on the roof of an open area or the terrace where there are no trees or walls blocking the sky to receive signals properly.
- Cables and Power Adapter: You will get wires and a charger that connects all the parts and provides power to make everything work properly.
Role of Jio, Airtel and BSNL after the Launch of Starlink India
The launch of Starlink India will surely bring huge changes in the country’s internet landscape and existing telecom giants like Jio, Airtel and BSNL will also play a major role in ensuring affordable and widespread connectivity.
It is expected that instead of competing with the Starlink satellite, the existing telecom companies such as Jio, Airtel and BSNL will complement to provide broadband connectivity in the cities where traditional telecom networks are already well established.
The Starlink hardware kit consisting of a satellite dish, Wi-Fi router etc. will be distributed through partnerships with Indian telecom companies, including Airtel and Jio.
Starlink India FAQs
Q1. When will Starlink launch in India?
Ans: The Starlink India is expected to launch by the end of 2025 or early 2026 after receiving the final approval for spectrum from TRAI.
Q2. What will be the cost of Starlink?
Ans: One time hardware installation cost for Starlink India will be ₹30,000-₹33,000 with a monthly plan of about ₹3,000 for unlimited high speed data.
Q3. Will Starlink be faster than regular internet?
Ans: Starlink offers a speed of up to 50-220 Mbps in most of the areas which is good for streaming or video calls but fiber broadband may offer better speed in cities.
Q4. Will I need a professional technician to install Starlink?
Ans: No, Starlink is made in such a way to be installed by yourself. You can set it up by using the Starlink app.
