Starlink reapplied for India licence with direct-to-device request

TL;DR: Starlink has reapplied for a licence to operate in India, including a request to offer direct-to-device connectivity, according to The Economic Times. Elon Musk said on X that Starlink would help underserved rural areas in India. India froze Starlink approvals in June over national security concerns.

Starlink has reapplied for a licence to operate in India, including a request to offer direct-to-device connectivity, according to a report this week from The Economic Times. Elon Musk said on X that Starlink would help “the least served in India, especially in rural areas.”

Musk made the comment in response to a user discussing internet connectivity in India and stating that more than 11,000 listed villages did not have 4G coverage as of May 2026. The statement linked Starlink’s case for entry in India to rural coverage gaps.

India’s government froze Starlink approvals in June due to national security concerns. Bloomberg reported regulators were concerned that unlicensed Starlink terminals had apparently been used in Iran during the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, and Counterpoint Research co-founder Neil Shah said India’s contested borders make unmonitored satellite terminals an “absolute red line” for clearance.

Related questions

• What did Starlink request in its latest India licence application?
• Why did India freeze Starlink approvals in June?
• What did Elon Musk say about Starlink’s role in rural India?