Starlink Reapplies To IN-SPACe For 30,000-Satellite Gen 2 Constellation In India

Elon Musk's satellite internet venture Starlink has submitted a fresh application to India's space regulator seeking authorisation for its next-generation Gen 2 satellite constellation, according to multiple reports on Thursday, marking another attempt to expand its footprint in the country after an earlier version of the same request was turned down.

What Starlink Is Asking For

The renewed filing has gone to the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre, the regulator that oversees private space activity in India, and covers close to 30,000 low-Earth orbit satellites operating at altitudes between roughly 340 and 615 kilometres. Unlike the company's existing Gen 1 network, this application includes direct-to-device technology, a capability that would let satellites connect straight to ordinary mobile phones without requiring a dish, router or any specialised ground equipment. If approved, the technology would in theory allow connectivity in remote or disaster-hit areas where terrestrial mobile towers are absent or knocked out, a use case that has drawn interest from telecom regulators worldwide as smartphone-based satellite connectivity matures.

Why This Is A Second Attempt

IN-SPACe had previously rejected an earlier version of Starlink's Gen 2 application, which also involved close to 30,000 satellites, after determining that certain technical features and the spectrum bands the company proposed to use did not meet India's regulatory requirements. That rejection stood in contrast to the regulator's approval, in July 2025, of Starlink's more modest Gen 1 constellation of 4,408 low-Earth orbit satellites, which is intended to deliver conventional broadband rather than direct-to-device service. The gap between the two outcomes underscores that India's space regulator has been willing to greenlight Starlink's broadband ambitions while remaining more cautious about the spectrum and technical implications of a much larger, phone-compatible network.

The Stakes For India's Satellite Broadband Market

India has been steadily opening its skies to satellite internet players, with Starlink, Amazon's Kuiper and Reliance Jio-backed ventures all jostling for position in a market that regulators hope will extend connectivity to rural and hard-to-reach parts of the country. A successful Gen 2 approval would give Starlink a meaningfully larger and more capable network than rivals currently operating or approved in India, particularly given the direct-to-device angle, which could eventually compete with, or complement, traditional telecom operators' own emerging satellite tie-ups. For now, though, the application's fate rests with IN-SPACe's technical review, and given the outcome of the company's first Gen 2 attempt, approval is not guaranteed.

What Happens Next

IN-SPACe has not indicated a timeline for reviewing the fresh filing. Given the scale of the proposed constellation and the spectrum questions that scuttled the earlier application, the review is likely to involve consultation with India's telecom and spectrum authorities before any decision is reached. Starlink has continued to build out its Gen 1 service in India in the meantime, giving the company an operational presence in the market even as its larger ambitions await regulatory clearance.

This article is an original editorial summary based on publicly reported information. It has been independently written for publication and does not reproduce content from any single source.