India to Starlink: Comply with rules before entering market
The Indian government has informed Starlink that it must comply with local regulations, including setting up domestic infrastructure and base stations, before it can launch satellite internet services. Meanwhile, competitors like Eutelsat OneWeb are further along in the regulatory approval process.
Why it matters
This underscores India's strict regulatory stance on foreign tech companies and the competitive landscape for satellite internet in the world's most populous nation.
NEW DELHI: Starlink is yet to receive clearance to launch services in India as it has not agreed to comply with regulations requiring satellite internet providers to set up domestic infrastructure, a senior govt official said Wednesday, sending a tough message to tech trillionaire Elon Musk that in order to do business in India he will have to abide by the law of the land.Govt has no objection to the satellite internet provider rolling out its services once it addresses security concerns and agrees to establish local base stations before it can offer services in India, sources said. A base station is a radio transmitter and receiver that acts as a local hub, or the "first hop", connecting end-user devices to a wireless network.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in