The Maharashtra government on Wednesday, November 5, announced a partnership with billionaire Elon Musk's satellite communications venture in India to deploy a host of satellite-based internet services, becoming the first Indian state to formally tie up with the US firm. The government signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Starlink Satellite Communications Pvt Ltd.
This marks Maharashtra as the first state to collaborate with Starlink to deploy satellite-based internet services for government institutions, rural communities, and critical public infrastructure across "remote and underserved regions and aspirational districts" such as Gadchiroli, Nandurbar, Washim and Dharashiv, said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
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Musk's Starlink is one of the largest companies in the ICT (Information and Communication Technology) industry, holding the largest number of communication satellites in the world.
"It was wonderful to welcome Ms. Lauren Dreyer, Vice President, Starlink in Mumbai today, where the Government of Maharashtra signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Starlink Satellite Communications Private Limited, marking Maharashtra as the first Indian state to formally collaborate with Starlink to deploy satellite-based internet services for government institutions, rural communities, and critical public infrastructure across remote and underserved regions and aspirational districts in Maharashtra such as Gadchiroli, Nandurbar, Dharashiv, and Washim," Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis announced partnership with Elon Musk's company.
"It is our honour that the company is arriving in India and partnering with Maharashtra," Fadnavis said in an X post. The Maharashtra-Starlink collaboration supports the state's flagship Digital Maharashtra mission and integrates with its EV, coastal development, and disaster resilience programmes, he noted.
With this landmark decision, Maharashtra will lead India in satellite-enabled digital infrastructure, Fadnavis maintained. "This is a giant leap towards future-ready Maharashtra and sets the benchmark for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Digital India mission at the grassroots," he said.