Elon Musk’s Starlink is preparing for a celestial leap into India’s internet space, setting the stage to transform digital access across rural and underserved regions. Alongside peers like Eutelsat OneWeb (backed by Bharti Group), Reliance Jio’s SES partnership, and Globalstar, Starlink is expected to launch its satellite internet services in India soon.
While official pricing is yet to be declared, insights from industry insiders suggest that Starlink might unveil unlimited data plans at an introductory cost of under ten dollars a month, roughly ₹840. This would mark a groundbreaking offer in a country where affordable internet plays a pivotal role in digital inclusion.
According to a recent report, the key strategy is simple—keep prices low to attract a large user base, thereby spreading out heavy infrastructure and licensing expenses. “The strategy is to price services affordably below $10 to encourage adoption and distribute fixed costs across a broader customer base,” shared Ashwinder Sethi, Partner at a global telecom consultancy.
Yet, the road to the stars is not without its costs. While monthly plans may sound budget-friendly, hardware remains a major expense, with global rates for Starlink kits ranging between $250 (₹21,300) to $380 (₹32,400). In comparison, India’s fiber broadband providers offer faster speeds, bundled OTT services, and minimal setup costs.
On the regulatory front, Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio-SES have secured the necessary approvals. Starlink, having received a letter of intent from India’s telecom department, still awaits final permission from the national space authority.
Despite pricing advantages and promises of rural connectivity, Starlink’s reach may be limited. IIFL Research notes that even with 18,000 satellites in orbit, Starlink could only support around 1.5 million Indian users by FY2030. India’s share in satellite coverage is less than 1 percent, meaning just 700 to 800 satellites would serve the region at any time—far less than the massive terrestrial setup already in place with millions of telecom towers and BTS sites.
Still, for the digitally forgotten corners of India, Starlink’s arrival holds hope—a promise of speed from the skies where cables dare not tread.
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