Elon Musk's Starlink may cost as low as Rs 840 in India: Reports

Elon Musk’s Starlink and other satellite communication providers, including Bharti Group-backed Eutelsat OneWeb, Reliance Jio’s joint venture with SES, and Globalstar, are preparing to launch high-speed satellite internet services in India. According to a report from The Economic Times, Starlink is expected to introduce unlimited data plans at promotional rates of under $10 (approximately ₹840) per month, a pricing strategy designed to quickly attract a large user base in one of the world’s largest telecom markets.

Aggressive Pricing to Drive Adoption

Despite high spectrum and licensing costs, satellite operators are aiming to scale fast by offering affordable services. Experts suggest this approach could help these companies amortise their heavy infrastructure and spectrum investments over a broader customer base. The long-term goal: up to 10 million users in India.

TRAI, India’s telecom regulator, has recommended a 4% levy on adjusted gross revenue (AGR), with a minimum annual spectrum fee of ₹3,500 per MHz. On top of that, providers will need to pay an 8% licence fee. In urban areas, operators would pay an additional ₹500 per subscriber per year, though no such fee would apply in rural regions. These recommendations await final government approval.

Hardware Costs Could Be a Barrier

While the monthly plans may seem attractive, the upfront cost of Starlink hardware could deter many Indian users. Globally, Starlink kits are priced between $250 and $380 (around ₹21,300 to ₹32,400), which is a significant investment when compared to India’s fibre broadband services, which offer speeds up to 1 Gbps, lower installation costs, and often include bundled OTT subscriptions.

Regulatory Status and Competitor Moves

While Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio-SES have already received regulatory approvals, Starlink has secured a letter of intent from India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and is awaiting final clearance from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe).

Capacity Constraints Could Limit Growth

Despite Starlink’s ambitious plans, technical limitations could restrict its growth in India. India's geographic coverage by the satellite constellation is limited, estimated at just 0.7% to 0.8% of global satellite capacity, translating to only 700 to 800 satellites covering the country at any given time. This stands in stark contrast to India’s robust terrestrial infrastructure, with over 800,000 telecom towers and 3 million base transceiver stations.

For context, in Bangladesh, Starlink currently charges 6,000 BDT (around ₹4,200) per month. New users must also pay a one-time equipment fee of 47,000 BDT (₹33,000) and an additional 2,800 BDT (₹2,000) for shipping, bringing total start-up costs to nearly ₹37,200.