Maharashtra on Wednesday, November 5, became the first Indian state to partner with Elon Musk’s Starlink to provide satellite-based internet services. The announcement was made by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who described Starlink as one of the largest players in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector. The partnership aims to expand high-speed internet access across rural and remote areas of the state.
The letter of intent (LOI) was signed by Lauren Dreyer, Vice President of Starlink, and Virendra Singh, IAS, Secretary of the Department of Information Technology, Government of Maharashtra, in the presence of Fadnavis. Under the agreement, satellite internet will be deployed in government institutions, public infrastructure, and underserved districts, including Gadchiroli, Nandurbar, Dharashiv, and Washim.
Fadnavis said the move is a significant step towards a “future-ready Maharashtra” and aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Digital India mission. The initiative is part of the state’s Digital Maharashtra mission and follows the Department of Telecommunications’ (DoT) grant of a Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) licence to Starlink earlier this year, after the company fulfilled all security requirements.
