Elon Musk’s SpaceX has quietly flipped the switch on its India plans. The company’s satellite broadband arm, Starlink, has started its first-ever hiring drive in the country, marking a decisive step toward its much-awaited commercial launch slated for late 2025 or early 2026.
Job listings on SpaceX’s careers page reveal openings across finance and accounting functions, including positions such as payments manager, accounting manager, senior treasury analyst, and tax manager. All roles are based in Bengaluru, which will serve as Starlink’s operational hub in India.
In one posting, the company noted, “As Starlink expands its global footprint to deliver low-latency satellite broadband services worldwide, its Indian subsidiary is looking to hire an accounting manager to oversee financial reporting and compliance.”
Credits:
Building the Financial Backbone
Starlink’s early focus on finance and payments roles hints at a methodical approach to laying the operational and compliance groundwork for its Indian entity. For instance, the payments manager will oversee the end-to-end management of payment processing and risk operations in India.
Interestingly, SpaceX has clarified that it is only considering locally based candidates with valid work authorization, ruling out remote or hybrid options. This aligns with its push to build an on-ground presence and comply with India’s stringent regulatory environment for satellite communications.
Infrastructure Moves: Ground Stations and Offices
Parallel to its hiring, Starlink is also ramping up infrastructure efforts. The company recently conducted a demonstration of its satellite broadband service for law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in Mumbai, allowing them to test lawful interception and security systems—a critical step before the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) allocates spectrum.
SpaceX has already set up three ground stations in Mumbai, which will act as Starlink’s key hub in India. The DoT and security agencies are expected to conduct on-site inspections this week as part of ongoing security and compliance trials.
Additionally, Starlink has applied for permissions to build gateway stations in Mumbai, Chennai, and Noida, with expansion plans to 9–10 additional cities, including Kolkata, Chandigarh, and Lucknow, once commercial operations begin.
Setting Up Shop in Mumbai
In another sign of its growing local presence, Starlink Satellite Communications has leased its first office in Mumbai, located in the Boomerang commercial complex in Chandivali.
Property records accessed via Propstack reveal that the 1,294 sq ft space was leased for five years starting October 14, with a monthly rent of ₹3.52 lakh and a 5% annual escalation. The company has also placed a ₹31.7 lakh security deposit. While modest in scale, the office cements Starlink’s physical footprint in India, complementing its Bengaluru-based operations.
Racing Ahead in the Satellite Internet Race
Once it secures spectrum and launches commercially, Starlink will enter a three-way race against Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite, both of which have already received necessary regulatory clearances but are awaiting the final spectrum framework.
The DoT and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) are still ironing out details of the pricing and allocation process for satellite broadband spectrum—a move that could decide how quickly services roll out across the country.
Amazon’s Project Kuiper Eyes India Too
Starlink isn’t the only global player eyeing India’s skies. Amazon is also gearing up through its Project Kuiper, which aims to deliver satellite internet globally. The company’s Indian subsidiary, Amazon Kuiper Services India Pvt Ltd, has already begun hiring for leadership roles such as go-to-market strategy lead, head of telco business development, and project managers for both B2B and B2C segments.
Amazon is still awaiting key approvals from the DoT and IN-SPACe, but its early recruitment drive signals strong intent to compete head-on with SpaceX once licensed.
Credits: Republic World
A New Era of Connectivity on the Horizon
With Starlink finally taking tangible steps—leasing offices, setting up infrastructure, and hiring local talent—its long-promised India debut looks closer than ever. For millions of Indians in remote and underserved regions, this could mark the beginning of a new era in connectivity, powered not by cell towers, but by satellites orbiting the Earth.
If all goes according to plan, India could soon join the growing list of nations where Starlink is reshaping the broadband landscape—one low-orbit satellite at a time.
