SpaceX May Launch Starlink in India, Elon Musk Hints
SpaceX may soon add a huge market for its Starlink service. After Elon Musk’s meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the company’s CEO hinted that the matter might be under consideration.
Elon Musk hinted that Starlink could be launched in India
Indian Prime Minister Modi and Elon Musk met on Tuesday in New York. A significant part of the meeting was devoted to the potential investment of Musk’s companies in the country. They discussed potential investments by Tesla, as well as the possibility of delivering Starlink internet from SpaceX to the country. After the meeting, Musk hinted that Starlink could be coming to India soon, saying it was really needed in places where people do not have internet access.
“The Starlink Internet, which I think can be incredibly helpful for sort of remote or rural villages where they perhaps either may have no access to the Internet, or the Internet is very expensive and slow,” he said.
Tesla prepares to invest in India
Musk and Prime Minister Modi also discussed Tesla’s plans to build a manufacturing base in India. This will allow the company to localize the production of electric vehicles. The establishment of the assembly plant is in line with the Government of India’s initiative to support the electric vehicle sector.
After the interview, Musk said that Tesla intends to invest in India “as soon as humanly possible.” He noted that the Prime Minister is pushing the company to make significant investments in the country. The company is currently weighing the right time to do so.
“I am confident that Tesla will be in India and will do so as soon as humanly possible. It’s quite likely that there will be a significant investment relationship with India in the future” he said, without specifying a timeline. Musk also said that he tentatively plans to visit India next year.
SpaceX has already tried to enter the Indian market
SpaceX has already sought to bring its Starlink satellite broadband into the country. The company registered Starlink in 2021 and has hired executives to run the business. However, after some time the government intervened and prevented the company from continuing its operations.
After Tuesday’s meeting, there was real hope that Starlink could be launched in India. However, no official statements have been made.
“We do not want to jump the gun on an announcement but I think it is quite likely that it will be a significant investment in our relationship with India,” Musk said without going into detail about what exactly it was about.
Starlink is becoming more accessible
Satellite broadband internet from SpaceX is currently available in more than 50 countries. They include the US, most of Europe, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, and much of South America. Additionally, Starlink states that its services are currently awaiting regulatory approval in India.
