Starlink Not A Competitor In India, Too Costly: MoS Communications Pemmasani

In an exclusive interview with India Today, Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, MoS for Communications, clarified that Starlink is not a competitor to India’s existing telecom networks but rather a complementary solution for remote areas. He pointed out that Starlink’s limited satellite spectrum results in slower speeds and significantly higher costs—₹33,000 for setup and ₹3,000 per month—making it unaffordable for most rural users. In contrast, BSNL offers broadband at just ₹400. Pemmasani emphasized that BharatNet already connects nearly all Gram Panchayats with fiber optics, and Starlink may only fill gaps where traditional networks can’t reach.