Discusses future investment plans in India

PTI New Delhi

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday met a delegation of satellite internet services provider Starlink and discussed their existing partnerships and future investment plans in India. "Met a delegation from @Starlink, comprising of Vice President Chad Gibbs & Senior Director, Ryan Goodnight. Discussions covered Starlink's cutting-edge technology platform, their existing partnerships and future investment plans in India," Goyal said in a post on X.

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio in March announced a pact with Elon Musk's SpaceX to bring Starlink satellite internet services in India. Telecom tycoon Sunil Bharti Mittal's Bharti Airtel has also signed a similar partnership deal with SpaceX. The meeting comes at a crucial juncture when permission for Elon Musk- owned Starlink is stuck for security clearance. It also comes against the backdrop of ongoing negotiations for a proposed bilateral trade agreement between New Delhi and Washington.

The two sides have aimed at finalising the first phase of the pact by fall  (September-October) this year. Meanwhile, the government has already granted license to Startlink rivals Bharti Group-backed Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications for about one-and-a-half years for providing satellite internet services. However, these companies are yet to start their operation as the government has so far not finalised spectrum allocation rules.