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Gujarat exchanges Letter of Intent with Starlink for high-speed internet connectivity

February 09, 2026 5 min read Science & Technology Polity & Governance GS Paper 2 GS Paper 3
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What Happened

  • The Gujarat state government exchanged a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Starlink Satellite Communications Private Limited, a subsidiary of SpaceX, for high-speed satellite-based internet connectivity.
  • The partnership is part of Gujarat's Digital Connectivity Mission and aims to provide internet access to remote, border, tribal, and underserved areas of the state.
  • Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel confirmed the partnership, which will cover Common Service Centres (CSCs), e-governance facilities, government schools, district disaster management control rooms, ports, wildlife sanctuary regions, and primary health centres for telemedicine.
  • Priority areas include tribal and aspirational districts such as Narmada and Dahod, as well as GIDC industrial parks, maritime operations, and highway safety systems.
  • A Joint Working Group comprising representatives from the Gujarat government and Starlink will oversee implementation.

Static Topic Bridges

Satellite Communication Policy and Regulatory Framework in India

India's satellite communication sector is governed by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) under the Unified License regime. The Telecommunications Act, 2023, published in the Gazette of India on 24 December 2023, brought satellite networks under its definition of "telecommunication network" and established the framework for spectrum assignment.

  • The Telecommunications Act, 2023, provides for administrative allocation (rather than auction) of satellite spectrum, in line with International Telecommunication Union (ITU) practices. The First Schedule of the Act lists satellite services eligible for administrative allocation, including global mobile personal communication satellites, radio backhaul, in-flight and maritime connectivity, and ground stations.
  • By mid-2025, Starlink, Jio Satellite Communications, and OneWeb India received unified licenses to offer satellite internet services in India. Starlink's license conditions include mandatory data localisation (all user data stored within India) and facilitation of lawful interception by intelligence agencies.
  • The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) recommended limiting initial satellite spectrum assignment to a five-year period with possible renewal.
  • India operates a fleet of 19 communication satellites, including GSAT-11, GSAT-19, GSAT-29, and GSAT-N2, which form the backbone of domestic satellite broadband infrastructure.

Connection to this news: Gujarat's LoI with Starlink is one of the first state-level implementations following Starlink's receipt of a unified license in India, demonstrating how the 2023 regulatory framework is translating into on-ground deployment for rural connectivity.

Digital Divide and Rural Connectivity in India

The digital divide refers to the gap between populations with effective access to digital and information technology and those with limited or no access. In India, this divide is particularly acute between urban and rural areas, with rural internet penetration significantly lagging behind urban centres.

  • BharatNet is the Government of India's flagship project to connect all 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats with optical fibre, providing affordable broadband to bridge the urban-rural digital gap. The project has faced multiple delays and cost revisions since its inception in 2011 (originally the National Optical Fibre Network).
  • Satellite broadband is seen as complementary to terrestrial networks (fibre, 4G/5G) because it can reach geographically challenging areas where laying fibre is impractical, such as mountainous terrain, islands, border regions, and dense forests.
  • Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations like Starlink operate at altitudes of approximately 550 km, offering lower latency (20-40 ms) compared to traditional geostationary satellites (approximately 600 ms latency at 35,786 km altitude).
  • Common Service Centres (CSCs), referenced in the Gujarat LoI, are access points for delivery of essential public utility services, social welfare schemes, healthcare, financial, education, and agriculture services to rural and remote areas under the Digital India programme.

Connection to this news: Gujarat's LoI specifically targets areas where terrestrial broadband infrastructure has been difficult to deploy, including tribal districts (Narmada, Dahod) and border areas, using satellite connectivity as a bridge technology while BharatNet fibre deployment continues.

Federalism and State-Level Digital Governance Initiatives

Under India's federal structure, telecommunications falls under the Union List (Entry 31, List I of the Seventh Schedule), making it a central subject. However, states have increasingly taken proactive roles in digital governance through state-specific missions, infrastructure partnerships, and service delivery platforms.

  • While spectrum allocation and licensing are central government functions under DoT, states can facilitate deployment by providing local infrastructure support, identifying priority areas, and integrating satellite connectivity into state welfare delivery systems.
  • Gujarat's Digital Connectivity Mission mirrors the central Digital India programme launched in 2015, which aims to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy through three key areas: digital infrastructure, digital governance, and digital empowerment.
  • The Joint Working Group model (state government plus private entity) used in this LoI is a common mechanism in cooperative federalism, allowing states to customise central policy frameworks to local needs.
  • Aspirational Districts Programme, launched by NITI Aayog in 2018, identifies underdeveloped districts for targeted intervention. Narmada and Dahod, mentioned as priority areas in the Gujarat LoI, are among Gujarat's aspirational districts.

Connection to this news: The Gujarat-Starlink LoI illustrates how state governments can operationalise central telecommunications policy by identifying specific local deployment priorities (tribal areas, disaster management centres, telemedicine) within the framework established by the Telecommunications Act, 2023.

Key Facts & Data

  • Starlink operates a LEO constellation at approximately 550 km altitude with over 6,000 satellites deployed globally
  • Starlink received a unified license for satellite broadband services in India by mid-2025
  • Telecommunications Act, 2023: provides for administrative allocation of satellite spectrum
  • Gujarat's priority areas: tribal districts (Narmada, Dahod), GIDC industrial parks, maritime operations, highway safety systems
  • Facilities to be connected: CSCs, e-governance centres, government schools, district disaster management control rooms, ports, wildlife sanctuaries, primary health centres
  • Joint Working Group to be formed for implementation oversight
  • BharatNet targets 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats for fibre connectivity
  • India operates 19 communication satellites including GSAT-11, GSAT-19, GSAT-29, and GSAT-N2
  • Digital India programme launched: 2015
  • Aspirational Districts Programme launched by NITI Aayog: 2018