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What’s the story
Elon Musk‘s satellite broadband company, Starlink, is on the cusp of getting a nod from India’s space regulator.
The firm has submitted all the required information for clearance, The Economic Times reported.
The application will be examined by the standing committee of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), which comprises officials from the home ministry and space department.
Starlink’s licensing requirements for Indian operations
To launch its broadband services in India, Starlink will require an operator’s license from the Department of Telecommunications and Spectrum.
The news comes just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Musk on a visit to hold bilateral talks with US President Donald Trump.
The meeting is said to have included talks about Starlink’s long-awaited entry into India.
Spectrum allocation debate between Starlink and Indian providers
A major bone of contention between Indian satellite broadband service providers and Starlink has been the way spectrum is allocated.
The Musk-led company advocates assignment instead of auctioning, a position that is in line with the Union government’s stance.
This debate is critical to Starlink’s proposed operations in India.
Tesla’s imminent launch in India
In related news, Musk’s electric vehicle company, Tesla, is also gearing up for its launch in India.
The operations are expected to kick off from April this year with showrooms in Mumbai and Delhi.
Initially, the company plans to import cars from Berlin and later set up a manufacturing plant in the country, most likely in Maharashtra.