By adding Starlink to its offerings, Bharti Airtel will further expand its ability to offer nationwide connectivity and connect underserved areas.
Published Mar 11, 2025 | 6:03 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 11, 2025 | 6:03 PM
Bharti Airtel announced signing the deal on Tuesday, 11 March.
Synopsis: The two firms will explore offering Starlink equipment in Airtel’s retail stores, and Starlink services via Airtel to business customers, and opportunities to connect communities.
Bharti Airtel has signed an agreement with Elon Musk-founded SpaceX to bring Starlink’s high-speed internet services to its customers in India, the Indian multinational telecom giant said on Tuesday, 11 March.
“This is the first agreement to be signed in India, which is subject to SpaceX receiving its own authorisations to sell Starlink in India,” Airtel said in a statement.
The agreement would allow Airtel and SpaceX to further explore how Starlink could complement and expand the Indian ICT giant’s offerings, and how Airtel’s expertise in the Indian market would complement SpaceX’s direct offerings to consumers and businesses.
The two firms would further explore offering Starlink equipment in Airtel’s retail stores, and Starlink services via Airtel to business customers, and opportunities to connect communities.
The possibility of Starlink expanding and enhancing Airtel’s network, too, would be explored.
Airtel said that by adding Starlink to its offerings, the firm would further expand its ability to offer nationwide connectivity and connect underserved areas.
Airtel already has an alliance with London-headquartered Eutelsat OneWeb, a subsidiary of Eutelsat Group providing broadband satellite Internet services in low Earth orbit.
“This collaboration (with SpaceX) enhances our ability to bring world-class high-speed broadband to even the most remote parts of India,” Gopal Mittal, Managing Director and Vice Chairman of Bharti Airtel said.
President and Chief Operating Officer of SpaceX Gwynne Shotwell said working with Airtel “to complement our direct offering great sense for our business”.
Bharti Airtel reported a 505 percent rise in its consolidated net profit of ₹14,781 crore for the third quarter of the financial year 2024-25, up from ₹2,442 crore reported during the corresponding year-ago period.
Airtel’s pact with SpaceX came close on the heels of Tesla announcing its plan to open shop in India.
