Starlink Likely To Partner With Local Firms To Manufacture Equipment

Even though Starlink does not have a local office in India, it is reportedly planning to join hands with Indian companies to manufacture equipment. The company is looking for antenna systems and user terminal devices as it is planning to launch satellite internet services next year.

SpaceX Plans For India

"SpaceX is excited to find ways to work together with the Indian industry for manufacturing products for its Starlink devices," Matt Botwin, director (market access with the Starlink program) informed telecom secretary Anshu Prakash during the interaction with DoT.

Botwin said that the company is looking at opportunities to increase its supply chain and is planning to work with Indians. This is the first time that SpaceX makes an official announcement on its Indian plans.

This development comes after the Department of Telecommunication invited all satellite internet players to discuss the approach and roadmap of these companies. Viasat, Hughes, Airtel, Reliance Jio, Vodafone-Idea, TRAI, and an official from the Department of space attended the meeting.

Space-Based Communication In India

It is worth noting that several global players are eyeing India to set up their satellite business. These companies include OneWeb, Amazon Project Kuiper, and Elon Musk-backed Starlink.

"SpaceX has been working with the Indian industrial sector for a long time, buying steel and steel-tubing for many of its rockets," Matt Botwin said. He states that the company is committed to manufacturing satellite components in India.

For the unaware, Starlink has already started accepting per orders for the beta version in the country. The company is planning to start its operations in India in 2022 after getting regulatory approvals from the company.

Furthermore, all companies that have attended the meeting don't want the Indian Government to auction 28 MHz spectrum to telecom operators for the 5G network, as this might affect the download speed.

On the other hand, telcos are looking for a 28 MHz band for the 5G services. However, we believe that this might delay the spectrum auction delay as 3300 MHz and 3600 MHz standards are expensive and these bands are affordable in comparison to the previous.