Bharti Airtel to bring Elon Musk’s Starlink to India, signs agreement with SpaceX

India’s telecom major Bharti Airtel said it has signed an agreement with Elon Musk's SpaceX to bring high-speed satellite internet service Starlink to India.

In an exchange filing on the BSE on Tuesday, March 11, Bharti Airtel said Starlink would sell its services in India and explore opportunities to collaborate with Airtel's existing telecom infrastructure. 

The deal gives SpaceX, the owner of Starlink, the right to sell Starlink in India, provided they get regulatory approval from the authorities. The company aims to connect business customers, communities, schools, and health centres across the cities and even in rural areas.

“Working with SpaceX to offer Starlink to Airtel customers in India is a significant milestone and further demonstrates our commitment to next-generation satellite connectivity,” said Gopal Vittal, the Managing Director and Vice Chairman of Bharti Airtel, in an official statement.

Bharti Airtel shares closed 1.93 per cent higher at ₹1,661.20 in Tuesday's trading session, compared to ₹1,629.70 at the previous market close. The announcement of the agreement came after market hours on March 11. 

What is Starlink network?

The Starlink network is the world's first and largest satellite internet provider. It uses Earth's lower orbit to deliver broadband (Wi-Fi) internet to people, according to its official website.

People can use this broadband network to support streaming, online gaming, video calling, etc., by tapping into the satellite network through their Starlink equipment.

Billionaire founder Elon Musk's space tech startup SpaceX owns and controls Starlink's operations worldwide. 

What users can expect in India

Bharti Airtel's announcement to collaborate with SpaceX to bring the Starlink network to India comes after Elon Musk's recent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington on the topics of technology and space.

The partnership between the US-based firm and Bharti Airtel aims to address connectivity issues in rural and remote regions of India and expand the domestic telecom industry. 

However, the final launch of the Starlink service in India will depend on the necessary regulatory approval from telecom authorities.