Elon Musk says Starlink can improve connectivity in rural India, reach underserved users
Follow UsElon Musk has backed Starlink as a possible solution to India’s rural connectivity gap.
Musk said Starlink would help the "least served" people in the country, especially in rural areas.
He made the comments on X while resharing a post by Doge Designer (@cb_doge).
Elon Musk has backed Starlink as a possible solution to India’s rural connectivity gap. On Friday, Musk said Starlink would help the “least served” people in the country, especially in rural areas. He made the comments on X while resharing a post by Doge Designer (@cb_doge). The post claimed that more than 11,200 listed villages in India did not have 4G access as of May 2026. It also highlighted the gap between rural and urban internet use. India had 1.093 billion internet subscriptions as of March 2026, of which 440.87 million were in rural areas.
SurveyThe post also pointed to the progress made under BharatNet. It said more than 850,000 route-km of fibre had been laid. Around 221,000 Gram Panchayats had also been made service-ready. However, only 80,472 Gram Panchayats had operational Points of Presence as of June 2026. This highlights the gap between having broadband infrastructure and making services available to users.
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Starlink would help the least served in India, especially in rural areas https://t.co/ffCvpL61WQ
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 21, 2026
Satellite internet could help in places where laying traditional telecom infrastructure is difficult or expensive. This includes remote villages and mountainous areas. It could also be useful in areas affected by natural disasters, where regular telecom networks may be damaged.
The post by Doge Designer also called on the Indian government to complete the remaining approvals, allocate spectrum and allow Starlink to begin commercial operations in the country.
While resharing the post, Musk wrote, “Starlink would help the least served in India, especially in rural areas.”
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Starlink is currently seeking approval to launch its satellite broadband services in India. The government is working on the rules for satellite spectrum allocation and satellite communication services.
Meanwhile, Starlink Business Operations Vice President Lauren Dreyer has said the company is in talks with the Indian government, reports ANI. The comments came after reports claimed that the approval process had been paused over security and geopolitical concerns.
Dreyer rejected the reports, saying: “Starlink remains in active and productive discussions with the Government of India contrary to misleading stories based upon unsubstantiated claims from anonymous sources.”
