Starlink no competition to terrestrial networks in India, says MoS Communications Dr Chandrashekhar Pemmasani

India’s Minister of State for Communications, Dr Chandrashekhar Pemmasani, has said that Elon Musk’s satellite internet service Starlink will serve more as a backup than a direct competitor to India’s existing rural broadband infrastructure. In an exclusive interaction, the minister clarified that while Starlink can help plug connectivity gaps, especially in remote locations, its high cost and lower speed make it an impractical option for the majority of rural users.

“Starlink is significantly different from terrestrial network. It has a limited spectrum with limited satellites, so the actual speed is quite low compared to existing service providers,” Dr Pemmasani said.

He pointed out that Starlink’s utility in India will be largely restricted to areas where fibre optic connectivity hasn’t yet reached. “Because of the limited availability, it’s quite expensive. Most people in rural areas may not be able to afford it. The real purpose of this is, one, if you are in a rural area and want continuous service, then you will be able to get that. Also, it could add as a nice backup.”

India’s flagship BharatNet programme, he said, is already extending fibre optic connectivity to the vast majority of Gram Panchayats. “We have rural connectivity with fibre optics almost to all Gram Panchayats, except 40,000, which we are adding in BharatNet Phase 3,” he noted.

“For all practical purposes, in a country like India, the majority of the times our existing network will be able to cover all rural areas. Wherever these networks cannot reach, at these places Starlink will be helpful,” he added.

Dr Pemmasani also dismissed concerns that Starlink might threaten the existing telecom ecosystem. “I don’t see any kind of competition among the existing service providers with Starlink because the speed of existing terrestrial network is much higher. The cost of our existing network is much cheaper. If you look at BSNL cost, it’s ₹400, whereas Starlink’s cost is ₹33,000 for setup and ₹3,000 monthly.”

He was clear on the affordability gap. “So Starlink is ten times costlier than the existing networks. Obviously, the competition will be much less.”

Globally, too, Starlink remains niche, he said. “Just to tell you, worldwide Starlink only has 60 lakh connections. There is no way it is competition, it is only complement.”

As the government races to connect the remaining unconnected villages under BharatNet and boost digital inclusion, the minister’s remarks reinforce India’s focus on fibre-first connectivity over satellite-dependent solutions.