Elon Musk’s satellite internet venture, Starlink, has reportedly secured critical approval from the Indian government, clearing a significant obstacle that had delayed its operations for nearly two years, according to sources cited by PTI.

With this development, Starlink becomes the third company to receive a global mobile personal communication by satellite services (GMPCS) licence from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). The other two licence holders are OneWeb, backed by Eutelsat, and Reliance Jio’s satellite unit. The approval paves the way for Starlink to begin laying the groundwork for offering satellite-based high-speed internet services across India, Reuters reported.

Starlink first submitted its application in 2022, but the process was held up by a series of regulatory and national security-related concerns. In contrast, Amazon’s satellite broadband project, Kuiper, is still in the queue, awaiting a similar clearance.

A key debate during the licensing process involved how spectrum should be distributed for satellite communication. Reliance Jio pushed for an auction-based model similar to that used for telecom frequencies, while Starlink advocated for direct administrative allocation. The Indian government eventually sided with Starlink’s proposal.

Though an official statement from either Starlink or the DoT is still pending, the approval marks a major milestone. Once operational, Starlink’s service could potentially transform internet accessibility in India, particularly in underserved rural and remote areas where traditional broadband has limited reach.

This latest move brings Starlink one step closer to rolling out its services in one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing digital markets.