New Delhi, March 12 — Bharti Airtel has partnered with Elon Musk-owned SpaceX to bring Starlink’s high-speed satellite internet services to India, the telecom operator informed stock exchanges on Tuesday. The deal, subject to regulatory approvals, marks Starlink’s entry into the Indian market.
The partnership aims to enhance connectivity in remote and underserved regions, where traditional telecom infrastructure remains costly or inadequate. Airtel and SpaceX will explore offering Starlink services to enterprises, businesses, and communities, along with integrating satellite broadband into Airtel’s existing network. The collaboration will also evaluate the use of Airtel’s ground network infrastructure to support Starlink’s expansion in India.
“With this partnership, we reinforce our commitment to delivering high-speed broadband to even the most remote parts of India,” said Bharti Airtel Managing Director and Vice-Chairman Gopal Vittal. “Starlink will complement our offerings to ensure reliable and affordable connectivity for our customers.”
SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell said the company was excited to collaborate with Airtel. “We are constantly amazed by what people and businesses achieve when they are connected via Starlink,” she said.
Airtel, which serves over 550 million customers across 15 countries, has already partnered with Eutelsat OneWeb for satellite broadband. By adding Starlink to its portfolio, the telecom giant aims to extend its nationwide reach, particularly in areas lacking conventional internet access.
