“Starlink and BSNL executives recently discussed some of the potential partnership opportunities, such as wireless backhaul and strategies to offer services to large enterprise customers in India,” a person aware of the discussions was quoted as saying.
The source added that no formal agreement has been reached so far, leaving scope for further deliberations between the two companies. The talks come as BSNL accelerates the rollout of its indigenous 4G network, which is upgradeable to 5G, in line with the Centre’s vision of achieving 100 percent teledensity across the country.
According to government data released in March 2026, rural teledensity in India stands at 60.02 percent, including 59.56 percent mobile connectivity and 0.56 percent wireline penetration.
Alignment with India’s 4G saturation and BharatNet programme
Under the 4G Saturation programme, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) identified nearly 30,000 remote and uncovered villages for connectivity expansion across India, according to the report. BSNL is currently deploying next-generation mobile infrastructure based on indigenous technology to bridge the digital divide in rural and far-flung regions.
Separately, BSNL is implementing the amended BharatNet programme, fully-funded by Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), to deploy a ring topology-based optical fibre network across more than 6.25 lakh villages, including regions in the Northeast such as Assam, Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya.
Satellite backhaul seen as key enabler
“Starlink can help BSNL provide high-speed internet in difficult areas like the Northeast, the Himalayas, and remote islands. These are places where laying underground fiber cables is very hard and expensive. “This partnership would also be great for emergency communications during natural disasters,” said Anupam Shrivastava, principal advisor (government and green AI initiatives) at Submer India and former chairman of BSNL, according to the report.
Also Read: BSNL and Viasat Trial Direct-to-Device Satellite Connectivity
Shrivastava reportedly described satellite backhaul as a “practical way” to extend 4G and 5G connectivity to rural India, especially in geographically challenging regions where fibre deployment can take years due to difficult terrain and excavation requirements.
“With Starlink’s satellites, BSNL can connect these towers to the network in just a few weeks. It is the fastest way to bring modern mobile service to the most remote parts of the country. It will also help BSNL’s 4G expansion in remote areas very quickly, thereby adding value to the Digital India mission,” he reportedly added.
Starlink, operated by SpaceX, currently provides low-latency broadband services across more than 150 countries. However, the company is yet to receive security clearance in India amid ongoing national security due diligence.
The satellite internet provider has, however, secured approvals from Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) and the Department of Telecommunications to offer broadband services in India using Ku and Ka band spectrum.
“Working with a state-owned company like BSNL will make it much easier for Starlink to follow Indian security and government rules compared to working with a private firm,” the source said.
BSNL’s enterprise business contributes nearly 10 percent of its overall revenue. The company currently offers managed network and IT services, data centres, next-generation voice services, Internet Leased Lines (ILL), and Point-to-Point leased circuits, while increasingly adopting a zero-capex model for enterprise services.
“Right now, Starlink does not have a network of retailers or dealers in India. By joining hands with BSNL, it can use BSNL’s massive presence across the country and its trusted distributor network to launch its services quickly,” Shrivastava reportedly added.
Shrivastava also noted that Starlink could expand through the Virtual Network Operator (VNO) route. “Starlink can reach customers much faster. This will help BSNL win more business from government departments and large public sector companies that need reliable internet in remote locations,” he reportedly said.
Also Read: BSNL and Viasat India Expand Collaboration to Advance Skill Development and UAV Services
Previous satellite partnerships by BSNL
BSNL has previously partnered with global satellite communication providers to strengthen its connectivity offerings. In 2021, the telecom operator collaborated with Inmarsat to provide Global Xpress mobile broadband services in India and established a satellite gateway in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.
Earlier this year, US-based satellite communications company Viasat partnered with BSNL to support the next phase of the Indian Navy’s satellite communications upgrade programme.
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