Elon Musk's company, Starlink, has once again approached the Indian space industry regulator requesting approval to launch its next-generation satellite network. This renews the company's efforts to provide satellite communication services in the country.
According to a report obtained by The Economic Times on Thursday, the new application requires permission to use nearly 30,000 low Earth orbit satellites and includes new features such as direct device-to-device (D2D) connectivity.
Previously, Starlink, operating through Elon Musk's SpaceX, had submitted applications for both first and second-generation satellite constellations in India. However, the Indian National Centre for Space Promotion and Authorization (IN-SPACe) only approved the first generation, which supports traditional broadband services via 4,408 low Earth orbit satellites. The previous application for the second generation was rejected due to non-compliance of some of its characteristics and frequency bands with Indian requirements.
The new application comes amid India's work on developing regulations for new satellite communication services, including D2D technology. This technology allows compatible mobile phones and other gadgets to connect directly to satellites, potentially expanding coverage in areas where traditional mobile networks are weak or absent.
The second-generation Starlink network is designed to offer significantly more capabilities than the existing network. Although SpaceX plans to eventually deploy around 42,000 satellites under Gen 2, ET reported that the company has requested approval in India for almost 30,000 satellites, leaving room to request additional satellites later.
D2D technology could allow Starlink to provide connectivity directly to mobile phones without the need for a dedicated satellite terminal on the user side. This opens up a potentially much larger market than traditional satellite broadband access, especially in remote and poorly connected parts of the country.
Indian telecom operators insist that companies offering direct satellite mobile communication must adhere to rules similar to those applied to terrestrial telecom operators. They have also expressed concerns regarding the competitive impact of satellite-based mobile services.
India has not yet finalized its regulatory framework for D2D services. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is considering this issue, while the government is also working on spectral bands and other rules that will govern such services.
Several countries, including the US, Canada, and Australia, have already implemented frameworks allowing satellite networks to complement mobile coverage. In the US, Starlink collaborates with T-Mobile to provide satellite connectivity directly to compatible phones in areas without traditional cellular coverage.
Competition for the Indian Satellite Market
Reliance Jio has also proposed a constellation of approximately 1,600 low Earth orbit satellites, and Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb is also aiming to establish itself in the Indian satellite broadband market. Another major global player seeking entry into this market is Amazon's satellite division.
Starlink has already reached an important regulatory milestone in India: in July 2025, IN-SPACe approved its first-generation constellation, allowing the company to engage in traditional space broadband services. Nevertheless, satellite operators still need to meet other regulatory and operational requirements before commencing commercial services.
The government has not yet made a final decision on satellite spectrum allocation following TRAI's pricing recommendations. Security checks, spectrum allocation, and other operational requirements remain crucial steps for companies aiming to launch commercial services in India.
If the second-generation Starlink network infrastructure and D2D capabilities receive regulatory approval, the company can move beyond being just a satellite broadband provider and begin competing more directly with traditional telecommunication networks for providing connectivity.