New Delhi, August 21, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Friday said Starlink could help address India’s digital connectivity gap, particularly in rural and underserved areas, as the satellite internet service awaits commercial rollout in the country.
“Starlink would help the least served in India, especially in rural areas,” Musk said in a post on X.
He was responding to a post highlighting the continuing disparity in digital connectivity between rural and urban India. The post noted that 11,256 listed villages still had no 4G coverage as of May 2026.
According to the data cited in the post, India had 1.093 billion internet subscriptions in March 2026, including 440.87 million in rural areas. Internet subscription density stood at 48.31 per 100 people in rural India, compared with 126.80 per 100 people in urban areas.
The post also highlighted the progress made under BharatNet, which had laid more than 850,000 route-km of fibre and made around 221,000 Gram Panchayats service-ready. However, only 80,472 Gram Panchayat Points of Presence were reported operational as of June 2026.
It said satellite-based connectivity could help bridge the digital divide in remote villages, mountainous regions, islands and disaster-affected areas, where conventional telecom infrastructure can face challenges related to terrain, commercial viability and the cost of building infrastructure.
The post further called for completion of regulatory clearances, spectrum allocation and other approvals required for Starlink’s commercial launch in India.
Starlink, operated by Musk’s SpaceX, uses a network of low-Earth-orbit satellites to provide broadband internet connectivity and has been seeking regulatory approvals to enter the Indian market.
Musk’s comments come amid continued discussions around digital connectivity and the regulatory framework governing his companies’ operations in India.
Earlier in August, a government official said Musk’s social media platform X would have to comply with Indian law regarding the platform’s new rules on content takedown requests from government authorities.
Musk has also claimed that “any censorship required by the governments is now clearly visible” after announcing a new algorithm for X.
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