Starlink earned Department of Telecommunications approval and is set to debut in India. Reportedly, Starlink’s pricing approach in India will be based on capacity limits and global prices, as it does in other Indian subcontinent markets such as Bangladesh and Bhutan. Starlink’s setup kit is estimated to cost roughly Rs 33,000 in India. It may provide unlimited data plans for Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,200 per month, in line with other Indian subcontinent markets.
According to Business Standard, like other subcontinent countries, Starlink’s pricing approach in India is anticipated to be impacted by capacity limitations and worldwide expenses. Similar to the pricing revealed in neighbouring Bangladesh and Bhutan, where services started in May and February, kits are anticipated to cost around ₹33,000, with monthly subscriptions ranging from Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,200.
In comparison to less developed African countries like Zimbabwe and Madagascar, the business may charge a little more for monthly plans in India, and it has declared comparable pricing for Sri Lanka, where its application is awaiting regulatory authorisation.
According to reports, Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio retail locations would sell Starlink’s hardware at comparable costs. These companies have already signed separate agreements with the American company to offer its services and equipment in India.
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According to the report, the massive satellite communication corporation is unlikely to raise prices in an attempt to draw in more clients since satellite internet capacity will continue to be constrained. Through a constellation of 7,600 low-earth orbit satellites run by SpaceX, the firm already operates in more than 125 countries. Up to 12,000 more are planned to be deployed to complete the constellation.
For example, in high-income markets and developing countries such as Kenya and Nigeria, the cost of the satellite-delivered internet service Starlink is two to three times more than that of traditional telecoms. As a result, Starlink will continue to be a premium service that serves just a million connections in the near to medium term. According to analyst estimates, Starlink’s present capacity in India may be able to accommodate 0.18 million customers, but by 2030, it may be able to reach 5.7 million users.
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The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), meanwhile, has been accused by telecom operators of underestimating the capabilities of satcom firms. In spite of this, Starlink claimed to have more than five million users worldwide in February, compared to four million in September 2024 and 4.6 million in December 2024. In India, there are 204.7 million mobile broadband customers, 390 million users, and 472.4 million subscribers of private sector terrestrial carriers such as Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea.
