Starlink India: 'Dummy' Price Revealed, Commercial Services Hampered by Regulation?

On December 8, 2025, the Starlink India website briefly displayed pricing information that surprised the public.

Starlink's residential plan was listed for a monthly fee of ₹8,600, with an additional one-time hardware fee of ₹34,000.

This plan claimed to include unlimited data, a 30-day trial, and a 99.9% uptime guarantee, and was designed to operate in all weather conditions.

However, this pricing information was quickly retracted, sparking confusion among potential customers and the media.

The following day, on December 9, 2025, Lauren Dreyer, Starlink's Vice President of Business Operations, issued an official clarification.

She stated that the Starlink India website was not yet live, no official pricing had been announced, and the company was not accepting customer orders in India.

Dreyer explained that the pricing information was the result of a "configuration error" that briefly displayed "dummy test data" or "placeholder data."

She also emphasized that the figures "do not reflect what Starlink service will cost in India."

The "dummy" price that Starlink briefly displayed in India, at ₹8,600 per month and ₹34,000 for hardware, is significantly higher than domestic broadband rates in the country.

In India, monthly plans from local internet service providers typically range from ₹699 to ₹999, with installation costs around ₹1,500 to ₹2,000.

Comparison with neighboring countries also shows significant differences.

In Bangladesh, Starlink residential plans range from BDT 4,200 (approximately ₹3,000-₹3,150) to BDT 6,000 (approximately ₹4,000-₹4,500) per month, with hardware costs of around BDT 47,000 (approximately ₹33,000-₹39,000).

Meanwhile, in Bhutan, similar plans cost BTN 3,000 (approximately ₹3,000) to BTN 4,200 (approximately ₹4,200) per month, with equipment costs of BTN 33,000.

A previous report in July 2025 even speculated that monthly subscriptions in India might range between ₹3,000 and ₹4,200, with equipment costs of around ₹33,000.

Despite facing pricing and regulatory challenges, Starlink remains ambitious in India.

The company has already hired employees for its Bengaluru office and plans to establish gateway ground stations in major cities like Chandigarh, Hyderabad, and Mumbai.

Starlink is also expected to partner with local telecom operators like Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio to distribute hardware and expand services to remote areas.

Starlink's primary goal is to provide high-speed internet access in rural and remote areas where traditional connectivity is limited or non-existent.

Starlink has shown significant progress in securing regulatory approvals in India throughout 2025.

In May, Starlink reportedly received a Letter of Intent (LoI) for Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS), VSAT, and ISP licenses from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), although the final license is still pending the fulfillment of all requirements.

The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs also gave the green light in June 2025, after Starlink assured compliance with security and data localization regulations, including the establishment of a domestic control center.

Then, in July, Starlink received final regulatory clearance from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) to provide satellite broadband services.

The culmination of regulatory approvals occurred in August 2025, when the DoT granted Starlink a unified license (UL).

This license was granted after the company agreed to all terms and conditions, including mandatory security requirements such as establishing a ground station gateway in India and prohibiting the mirroring or decryption of data abroad.

However, despite these series of approvals, Starlink still faces crucial obstacles.

The company still requires spectrum allocation from the Indian government before it can begin commercial service, with the DoT and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) still in discussions regarding the associated costs.

Furthermore, Starlink is facing regulatory issues related to its equipment being found to be used by illegal elements, and its refusal to provide user details, citing privacy concerns, has raised concerns.