Starlink has applied to Indian regulators for approval to operate a satellite network with direct-to-device technology, a move that would allow ordinary mobile phones to connect to orbiting satellites without special hardware. The filing marks SpaceX’s latest effort to expand in one of the world’s largest telecommunications markets.

India’s space regulator, IN-SPACe, previously rejected an application from Starlink tied to its second-generation (Gen 2) satellites, citing unmet requirements and the absence of a regulatory framework for direct-to-device, or D2D, connectivity.

A license in hand, but not the right one

Starlink is not beginning from scratch in India. The company obtained a five-year IN-SPACe license for basic satellite services in 2025, and that authorization remains valid through July 2030. Its Gen 1 constellation has also already received approval for conventional satellite broadband services in the country.

The issue is that India does not yet have rules in place to govern D2D service. The Department of Telecommunications, or DoT, and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, or TRAI, are still working on policies covering spectrum use, pricing, and operational requirements for D2D connectivity. Until those frameworks are finalized, Starlink’s broader plans cannot move forward.

Indian telecom operators raise concerns

India’s established telecom companies have voiced competitive concerns about satellite-based D2D services. Operators including Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel have spent billions of dollars building terrestrial networks across the country’s vast geography. A service that connects devices directly to satellites, bypassing cell towers, could challenge that investment.

Spectrum policy is at the center of the dispute. Terrestrial telecom operators typically obtain spectrum through costly auctions, while satellite operators have historically received spectrum through administrative allocation, which does not involve the same level of payment. Indian telecom companies have argued that this creates an uneven playing field, and regulators appear to be giving those concerns serious attention as they draft new rules.

Global rollout timeline adds pressure

Starlink’s Gen 2 satellites, which would support the D2D service, are scheduled for a global launch beginning in mid-2027. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has granted partial approvals for testing, placing Starlink on a path to deploy the technology in markets where the regulatory groundwork is ready.

India’s timing matters because the country is still shaping the rules that would determine how satellite and telecom networks can coexist in this segment. If DoT and TRAI do not finalize D2D rules before Starlink’s global rollout begins, India would remain in the consultation and rulemaking phase while the technology advances elsewhere.

For Starlink, the latest filing suggests persistence rather than a retreat from the Indian market. The five-year basic services license gives the company a foothold, and approval for Gen 1 satellite broadband keeps it operationally present while it waits for D2D regulations to be established.