For a few hours on Monday morning, Starlink set off a wave of excitement, and confusion, across India. Visitors who opened the company’s India website found what looked like official service prices, including a monthly plan of Rs 8,600 and a hardware kit costing Rs 34,000.
The numbers spread quickly online. Was Starlink finally launching in India? By afternoon, the answer was clear, it was all a mistake.
Starlink confirmed that those prices were never meant to be seen. The company blamed a “configuration glitch” that accidentally exposed internal test data.
Starlink: ‘Website not live, prices not announced’
Lauren Dreyer, Vice President and Senior Director of Starlink Business Operations at SpaceX, stepped in to clarify the situation on X (formerly Twitter).
She wrote that Starlink’s India website is not live and that the company is not taking customer orders right now. The figures visible earlier in the day were simply dummy numbers, not real pricing.
The Starlink India website is not live, service pricing for customers in India has not yet been announced, and we are not taking orders from customers in India.
There was a config glitch that briefly made dummy test data visible, but those numbers do not reflect what the cost… https://t.co/TU8cUjcYGL
— Lauren Dreyer (@LaurenDreyer) December 8, 2025
“The glitch was quickly fixed,” Dreyer said adding that the company is still working on the last stage of government approvals.
She also reiterated that the company is eager to connect India with Starlink’s high-speed satellite internet once everything is cleared.
Why Starlink wants India
Starlink has been pushing to enter India for more than a year.
The company markets itself as a simple reliable alternative for areas where wired broadband is weak or even inconsistent. Its key features are plug-and-play installation, more than 99.9% uptime, performance in extreme weather, no data caps.
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These capabilities are especially attractive for rural remote regions where connectivity gaps are common.
Hiring spree shows Starlink is preparing
Even though the service is not active yet, Starlink has been quietly strengthening its India operations.
At the end of October, SpaceX opened four Bengaluru-based positions: Payments Manager, Accounting Manager, Senior Treasury Analyst, Tax Manager.
The company described the hiring as part of a global expansion strategy signaling that preparations are underway behind the scenes.
Maharashtra becomes first to formally partner with Starlink
While the commercial launch is still pending, Starlink has already entered into its first official collaboration with an Indian state.
The Maharashtra government signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Starlink Satellite Communications Private Limited to bring satellite internet to Gadchiroli, Nandurbar, Dharashiv, Washim.
These locations are known for difficult terrain and limited connectivity.
The signing took place in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and IT Minister Ashish Shelar.
Fadnavis wrote on X that it was an honour for Maharashtra to partner with Starlink, calling the company one of the largest players in global satellite communications.
So, when will Starlink launch in India?
This remains the biggest question. On Starlink’s global availability map, India is still marked as “pending regulatory approval.” The company cannot begin services until the final permissions arrive.
However, industry insiders say approvals are progressing. Starlink too seems optimistic repeating that teams are ready to activate the service and website as soon as the green signal comes.
Gateway Earth stations planned across multiple cities
Alongside approvals, infrastructure work appears to be taking shape. Reports suggest Starlink is planning to build gateway earth stations; vital hubs that connect users on the ground with satellites in several major cities like Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Noida.
These stations will help provide stable, low-latency connections once the service launches.
More states show interest even before the rollout
The Maharashtra LoI is the first formal agreement, but it may not be the last.
Several other states are said to be exploring similar partnerships to expand internet access to remote districts.
The final step: Government approval
For now, everything depends on one thing: the government’s final clearance.
Once approved, Starlink will enter India alongside other satellite internet players like Jio-SES and Eutelsat OneWeb marking the beginning of a new era of high-speed satellite connectivity in the country.
Until then, the company continues to prepare in the background, states are lining up for partnerships, and users are waiting for the official launch, this time, without glitches.