Maharashtra Becomes First State to Collaborate with Starlink

Maharashtra became the first Indian state to partner with Elon Musk-owned Starlink. The state signed a Letter of Intent with Starlink Satellite Communications Pvt. Ltd. to connect government institutions and rural regions, pending central approval.

The LOI was signed by Lauren Dreyer, Vice-President of Starlink, and Virendra Singh, Secretary of Maharashtra’s IT Department, in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Fadnavis said the partnership would bridge the digital divide and connect every village, school, and health centre, making Maharashtra “future-ready.”

Starlink, operated by Musk’s SpaceX, is a global leader in low-Earth orbit satellite broadband capable of supporting high-speed internet for streaming, gaming, and video calls.

The collaboration will connect tribal schools, primary health centres, disaster control rooms, forest outposts, coastal zones, and aspirational districts like Gadchiroli, Nandurbar, Dharashiv, and Washim.

A joint working group will lead a 90-day pilot to connect schools, PHCs, and Aaple Sarkar centres, enhance disaster response and coastal surveillance, and train state agencies and communities.