Starlink's Upcoming India Debut: Expected Cost, Speed, Accessibility, and all the Latest Info
Elon Musk's satellite internet provider, Starlink, is set to enter the Indian market, bringing high-speed internet to rural and remote regions. With regulatory hurdles nearly cleared and infrastructure collaborations in place, Starlink's debut in India could be imminent.
The confirmed details for Starlink in India are as follows:
Price and Installation Fee
The Starlink hardware kit, which includes a satellite dish, Wi-Fi router, and mounting hardware, costs approximately ₹33,000 (one-time payment). This can be considered the installation/startup fee.
Monthly Plans
Starlink's monthly subscription is expected to be around ₹3,000 for unlimited data. Some reports indicate plans could be up to ₹4,200, and there might be promotional plans at approximately ₹850 per month, though these are not officially confirmed yet.
User Base Cap
The initial user base in India will be capped at 2 million users (20 lakh) to manage capacity during rollout.
Expected Internet Speeds
Speeds are expected to range between 25 Mbps to 220 Mbps, depending on location and network load. Average speeds may vary within this range across rural and remote areas.
Launch Timeline
Starlink has received government approval and a Unified Licence to operate in India as of mid-2025. While the exact commercial rollout date is pending, the launch is imminent following regulatory clearance in July-August 2025, focusing initially on underserved rural and remote regions.
Next-Generation Satellites and Speed Improvements
Globally, SpaceX aims to improve speeds and capacity as more next-generation low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites are deployed. While specific details on the exact launch timeline of the next-generation satellites in India were not found, SpaceX’s overall plan to launch advanced satellites promises internet speeds that can reach up to several hundred Mbps or more in the near future, with ongoing improvements in capacity and latency.
Starlink has announced collaborations with Jio and Airtel in India. However, the details of these collaborations and the distribution of Starlink hardware are still under development. The Indian government has not disclosed any changes to the 2 million connection cap for Starlink.
The regulatory environment for Starlink in India appears to be favorable. The exact launch date for Starlink in India has not been disclosed, but a report suggests it will be available in the coming months. The next-generation satellites of Starlink are expected to launch in 2026, each capable of delivering up to 1,000 Gbps capacity.
In summary, Starlink in India will start with a hardware cost of around ₹33,000, monthly unlimited plans at about ₹3,000, capped at 2 million users, delivering internet speeds from 25 to 220 Mbps, and launching soon after mid-2025 regulatory approval, focusing on improving rural connectivity. Next-generation satellites are expected to further enhance speed and capacity globally, benefitting users over time.
- With its collaboration with Jio and Airtel, technology advances will be at the forefront of Starlink's debut in India, enhancing the accessibility and quality of space-and-astronomy technology to rural and remote regions.
- As Starlink takes advantage of the next-generation low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, the field of science will experience a revolution in the near future, with speeds and capacity expected to reach several hundred Mbps in India by 2026 and beyond.
