Starlink to Store User Data in India, Plans Local Data Center Before Service Launch
New Delhi(The Uttam Hindu): Elon Musk’s satellite-based internet service Starlink is gearing up to launch in India with a major compliance update—user data and internet traffic will now be stored within the country. The company will establish its own data center in India to meet the nation’s stringent security and privacy requirements.
The government informed Parliament on Thursday that while a fixed launch date is yet to be announced, Starlink must complete key formalities before rolling out its services. These include spectrum allocation and the creation of essential ground infrastructure.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has already granted Unified License (UL) to Starlink Satellite Communications Pvt. Ltd., with the company accepting all mandatory security conditions. Minister of State for Communications & Rural Development, Dr. Pemmassani Chandrasekhar, told the Rajya Sabha that Starlink will be required to build earth stations (gateways) within India.
He stressed that no Indian user traffic will be routed through gateways located outside the country, and decryption, storage, or mirroring of Indian data on foreign servers will be prohibited. The move is seen as a major step toward data sovereignty and national security.
Starlink received its Unified License in June and clearance from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) in July for a five-year operational term. However, before service commencement, the company must secure spectrum allocation and complete ground infrastructure deployment.
A project of Musk’s SpaceX, Starlink aims to deliver high-speed broadband internet globally, especially to remote and underserved regions, via thousands of small satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Users only need a receiver unit to connect directly to these satellites. In India, the service is expected to revolutionize internet access in rural and hard-to-reach areas.