Starlink, the satellite internet arm of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has reapplied to India’s space regulator for approval to operate its proposed Gen 2 low‑Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation in the country, BusinessToday reported on Thursday. The renewed application comes after India’s national space regulator had earlier cleared only Starlink’s smaller Gen 1 network.
What was approved earlier and why the refile?
In July 2025, India’s commercial space regulator, IN‑SPACe, approved Starlink’s Gen 1 constellation comprising 4,408 LEO satellites for traditional broadband services, the report said. An earlier application for the globally planned Gen 2 system — which SpaceX aims to deploy with roughly 42,000 satellites worldwide — was rejected when Starlink sought authorisation for nearly 30,000 satellites in India. IN‑SPACe reportedly found that certain technical features and proposed spectrum bands did not meet the regulator’s requirements.
The fresh filing follows policy discussions in India about allowing additional satellite communication capabilities, notably direct‑to‑device (D2D) connectivity. D2D would allow satellites to connect directly to ordinary mobile phones and other handheld devices without intermediate ground infrastructure, potentially extending coverage into remote and underserved areas.
Why this matters for India
A decision on Gen 2 carries multiple implications for Indian telecom and space strategy. If the larger constellation gains approval, Starlink would have a capacity and coverage advantage over several competitors that have proposed far smaller LEO constellations for India:
- Reliance Jio has proposed a roughly 1,600-satellite LEO network in partnership with partners;
- Global rivals such as Amazon’s Kuiper project and Eutelsat OneWeb are also pursuing LEO services in multiple markets.
Greater capacity could translate into higher throughput, redundancy and service reach, but also raises regulatory questions on spectrum allocation, orbital debris management and national security clearances. The report noted that, to date, none of the non‑geostationary operators — Starlink, OneWeb or the Jio‑SES venture — have begun commercial operations in India, mainly due to pending security clearances and unresolved spectrum assignments.
| Constellation | Satellites (India application) |
|---|---|
| Starlink Gen 1 | 4,408 |
| Starlink Gen 2 (applied) | ~30,000 |
| Starlink Gen 2 (global plan) | ~42,000 |
| Reliance Jio (proposed) | ~1,600 |
Technical and regulatory trade‑offs
Gen 2 promises higher capacity and global resilience, but regulators evaluate several technical and policy factors beyond raw satellite counts. These include the specific radio frequency bands proposed, interference mitigation, ground segment architecture, and the systems’ ability to comply with India’s security and law‑enforcement access requirements. IN‑SPACe had previously rejected the Gen 2 application over mismatches in features and spectrum usage, the report said.
Allowing D2D services would be a significant policy shift. While D2D can expand connectivity to regions lacking terrestrial networks, it also changes how spectrum is used and heightens concerns about lawful interception and service regulation for mobile subscribers. Any policy change enabling D2D is likely to involve multiple agencies including the Department of Telecommunications and national security bodies.
Industry and consumer impact
For Indian consumers, approval of Gen 2 or D2D could mean faster rollout of satellite broadband to areas where fibre or mobile networks are uneconomical. For the telecom sector, it introduces a new competitive dynamic, particularly if satellite providers can offer mobile‑grade services to handsets without local partners. However, the cost to end users, device compatibility and service quality under varying conditions remain open questions until companies publish commercial plans.
The reapplication underlines the growing pressure on Indian regulators to balance rapid technological change with national security, spectrum management and sustainable space operations. According to the report, Starlink may seek clearance for additional satellites in future filings, underscoring that the company views India as a strategic market even as regulatory processes proceed.
What happens next: IN‑SPACe and other Indian authorities will review the renewed submission. Any approval for Gen 2 or new D2D capabilities will require coordination across multiple agencies before commercial services can begin in India.
