SpaceX ambitious to partner with Indian firms to manufacture satellite communications gear

"SpaceX is excited to find ways to work together with the Indian industry for manufacturing communications equipment in India products for its Starlink devices," said Matt Botwin, director (market access with the Starlink program) as per reports. The move comes amid SpaceX's preparations to launch its high-speed Starlink satellite broadband services in the country in 2021.

Botwin made the remarks on July 12 during SpaceX's first official interaction with Department of Telecommunications (DoT) secretary Anshu Prakash.

The DoT had met global companies to discuss local manufacturing of satellite communications gear and ways to create an enabling regulatory regime for global low earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation operators to establish in-country gateways the report added.

Officials from OneWeb, Viasat, Hughes, Airtel, Reliance Jio, Vodafone Idea, Department of Space and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) also attended the meeting.