The Telangana government has initiated discussions with Elon Musk owned Starlink, inviting the company to consider Hyderabad as a base for an engineering global capability centre.
A senior government source told a business daily that the state has encouraged Starlink to evaluate Hyderabad for its global engineering and technology operations. The source highlighted that the city has emerged as a preferred hub for multinational GCC investments.
Confirming the outreach, a senior state government official told a tech publication that Telangana is actively engaging with several global companies as part of a wider strategy to attract more GCCs to the state.
The source also pointed out that with affordable 5G services now widely available across Telangana, there may be limited demand for high priced satellite connectivity among regular consumers. According to the official, satellite based services could be more suitable for select institutional needs such as banking and enterprise operations rather than large scale consumer use.
The state government has reiterated that its primary engagement with the US based company is focused on attracting GCC investment.
In addition, Telangana is in discussions with US telecom major T Mobile to explore the possibility of setting up a GCC in Hyderabad, the source said.
Earlier sources told a tech publication that Telangana attracted over 75 greenfield GCCs in 2025, compared to 40+ in Karnataka. This marks a shift in momentum, with Telangana emerging as the top destination for new GCC establishments in India.
Separately, Starlink has announced plans to lower the operating altitude of its satellite constellation starting in 2026. The move is aimed at reducing congestion and safety risks in Earth’s orbit.
Satellites currently operating at around 550 km will be gradually lowered to nearly 480 km, according to a post on X by Michael Nicolls, vice president of Starlink engineering at SpaceX. He said operating at lower orbits helps reduce long term debris risks and collision chances as global satellite launches increase.
The decision follows a rare in orbit incident disclosed in December, when a Starlink satellite faced an anomaly at about 418 km, lost communication, and created a small amount of debris. Although such incidents are uncommon, they have raised concerns around responsible satellite management.
The move has also triggered debate on online platforms such as Reddit, where some users questioned whether space safety is the sole reason. Several commentators suggested the shift aligns with Starlink’s plans for satellite to cell connectivity.
Lower orbits can support basic services like texting and light data usage in remote areas by reducing signal delay and power needs. However, external analysis indicates it cannot replace terrestrial mobile networks, with voice calls and dense urban usage still limited by capacity and regulatory constraints.
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