company Bharti Airtel announced Tuesday it has entered into an agreement with Elon Musk's Starlink to look into offering the U.S. satellite internet behemoth's services to Indian customers, subject to government permission.
Musk has long wanted Starlink to enter the world’s most populous market, but its entry into India has been delayed due to regulatory challenges, security concerns and opposition from domestic telecom giants like billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio.
Airtel — India's second largest telecom company — said in a statement that its agreement with Starlink is contingent on whether U.S. aerospace company SpaceX's Indian subsidiary is able to obtain government permission to start operating in India.
At least 40% of over 1.4 billion people in India remain without internet and affordable satellite broadband is required to close the gap, especially India's large rural and mountain regions.
Musk's Starlink currently has at least 6,900 live satellites orbiting Earth offering low-latency broadband, including for places where previously internet had been entirely out of reach.
Last year, India's telecoms minister, Jyotiraditya Scindia, stated that Starlink had not yet adhered to security standards, and that a license for satellite communications services will be granted only after the company fulfills all the conditions.
The move on the Airtel partnership follows weeks after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Musk in Washington where they addressed issues ranging from space, mobility, technology and innovation.
The agreement will "look at how Starlink can complement and augment Airtel's offerings, and how Airtel's experience in the Indian market complements SpaceX's direct to consumer and business offerings," the statement from the company stated.
Under the pact, the two firms will look at providing Starlink hardware from Airtel's extensive chain of retail stores, Starlink services by Airtel to businesses, and leveraging the other's network infrastructure for expanded coverage in India.
The statement gave no additional information.