Satellite internet major Starlink, owned by SpaceX, recently triggered massive buzz after reports surfaced claiming its India plans would cost Rs 8,600 per month with a one-time hardware fee of Rs 34,000. However, the company has now clarified that no official pricing has been announced yet for Indian customers.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Starlink’s Lauren Dreyer stated that the India website is not live and the pricing figures that appeared online were part of a temporary internal configuration error. “Those numbers do not reflect what the cost of Starlink service will be in India,” she said, adding that the glitch was swiftly fixed.
Reported Plan Details and What Was Leaked
Before the clarification, leaked test data had suggested that Starlink’s residential internet plan in India would offer unlimited data, near-99.9% uptime and weather-resistant connectivity at Rs 8,600 per month, along with a Rs 34,000 plug-and-play hardware kit. A 30-day free trial was also reported as part of the initial rollout plan.
The service is expected to cater primarily to homes in remote, rural and underserved regions where traditional fibre broadband infrastructure remains limited or unviable.
Regulatory Clearance and Competition in India
Starlink has already secured key regulatory clearance from the Department of Telecommunications in July, clearing a major hurdle toward full commercial launch. Once live, Starlink will compete with existing satellite broadband providers such as Jio-SES and Eutelsat OneWeb in India’s fast-evolving satellite communications market.
Unlike competitors that are currently more focused on enterprise connectivity, Starlink is positioning itself as a direct-to-consumer broadband solution, potentially reshaping rural internet access.
Gateway Stations Across Six Cities
To strengthen its network backbone, Starlink is deploying satellite gateway earth stations across key Indian cities including Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai and Noida. These gateways will play a critical role in enabling low-latency satellite-to-ground communication and ensuring stable speeds across diverse terrains.
Bengaluru Office Expansion Signals Operational Readiness
Starlink is also accelerating its local presence. In October, the company advertised four specialist roles at its Bengaluru office, covering payments, accounting, treasury and taxation functions. This recruitment drive signals preparations for handling India-specific commercial operations.
While pricing confusion briefly clouded the launch narrative, Starlink maintains it is focused on completing final government approvals before officially activating services and opening its India website.
