Elon Musk’s Starlink opens first India office at Delhi’s World Trade Centre

Elon Musk-backed Starlink has established its first physical office in India, leasing space at the World Trade Centre (WTC) in New Delhi as it prepares for an imminent commercial rollout.

According to sources familiar with the deal, the satellite broadband major has secured a 50-seat managed office through flexible workspace provider CorporatEdge in Nauroji Nagar. The strategic location places Starlink in the capital’s diplomatic and regulatory hub, just floors away from OpenAI, which also finalized its India office lease in the same tower recently.

Regulatory endgame

The move signals that Starlink is shifting from licensing to operations. The company secured its Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) license in June 2025 and has received critical authorizations from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe).

However, the final launch is contingent on the allocation of spectrum. On Wednesday, Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia confirmed to Parliament that the government will administratively allocate satellite spectrum. While the government will not interfere in retail pricing, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) are still finalizing the administrative fee structure, with current proposals ranging between 4% and 5% of Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR).

The pricing debate

Speculation around Starlink’s pricing intensified earlier this month after its website briefly displayed a monthly subscription fee of ₹8,600 and a hardware cost of ₹34,000. Starlink Vice President Lauren Dreyer later clarified this was a “technical glitch” involving placeholder data.

Industry analysts expect the company to adopt a more aggressive pricing strategy for the price-sensitive Indian market, potentially targeting the ₹2,500–₹3,500 range to compete with terrestrial fiber providers in semi-urban and rural areas.

Network capability

Starlink currently operates a constellation of over 8,800 Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, offering low-latency broadband (approx. 25ms). Reports indicate the company is in advanced talks with RailTel to utilize its RailWire network for last-mile distribution and is identifying 16 key railway locations for ground-station infrastructure.

Summary

Starlink has opened its first India office at the World Trade Centre in Delhi, signaling readiness for a commercial launch in late 2025 or early 2026. Having secured key GMPCS licenses, the company is now awaiting final spectrum usage fees from TRAI. This physical entry follows regulatory clearances and comes amid intense speculation over its retail pricing strategy and a potential partnership with RailTel for rural expansion.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: Where is Starlink’s new office? 

It is a 50-seater space at the WTC Nauroji Nagar, New Delhi, shared with other global tech firms like OpenAI.

Q2: Is Starlink legal in India yet? 

Yes. It holds the GMPCS license (granted June 2025). It is now completing final security compliance tests for its domestic gateways.

Q3: How much will it cost? 

While a glitch showed ₹8,600/month, market expectations are closer to ₹3,000/month to ensure competitiveness.

Q4: How is it different from JioFiber or Airtel? 

Unlike traditional fiber, Starlink uses a massive constellation of satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), allowing high-speed access in remote regions like mountains or islands where cables cannot reach.

Q5: What is the “RailTel” connection? 

Starlink is exploring a partnership to use RailWire infrastructure to bridge the digital divide in “dark zones” across India.