Elon Musk's Starlink Joins Forces With Maharashtra Government, All You Need To Know

The Government of Maharashtra has signed a Letter Of Intent (LOI) with Starlink to deploy satellite-internet service in the state. This marks Starlink's first formal tie-up with a state government in India to kick off the operations for its satellite internet services in the country. According to a report published by the Press Trust of India, Maharashtra's government alliance with Starlink will let the firm offer their services to rural communities, institutions, public infra, and more. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the service will be available in 'remote and underserved regions and aspirational districts like Nandurbar, Dharashiv, Washim, and Gadchiroli.' He said in an X post, 'With @Starlink’s cutting-edge satellite technology,

led by @elonmusk and @laurendreyer, Maharashtra takes a bold leap forward in bridging the last digital divide — powering education, healthcare, and connectivity in every corner of our State.' Further, he also said in another post, 'With this landmark decision, Maharashtra will lead India in satellite-enabled digital infrastructure. This is a giant leap towards future-ready Maharashtra.'

But There's A Catch

The alliance between Starlink and the Maharashtra government is dependent on the company getting regulatory approvals in the country from the Department of Telecom. For those who are unaware, Starlink ran a demo on October 30 and October 31, 2025, in Mumbai in front of law enforcement agencies. Also Read: Starlink India Release Date, Plans, Pricing, Speeds, Availability, And MoreAs of now, Starlink has shared its plans to deploy nine gateway Earth stations in different Indian cities, including Lucknow, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Noida, and Mumbai. Multiple reports related to the same suggest that the firm has applied for 600 gigabits per second capacity via its Gen 1 satellite constellation.

When Can We Expect The Launch?

Starlink has already started hiring and making alliances with different state governments in India. With the way things are moving, the only aspect left is getting all the necessary approvals. We can expect Starlink to start functioning in India by the first quarter of 2026.