Elon Musk’s Starlink has received the anticipated state approval in India, paving the way for its entry into the world’s second-largest internet market, following China. This approval comes over three years after SpaceX’s previous attempt to launch its satellite-based broadband service in the country failed.

On Wednesday, India’s Department of Telecommunications granted Starlink the green light to begin working towards compliance in the South Asian country, a senior official confirmed to TechCrunch.

Starlink now needs to submit documentation to demonstrate that it meets the licensing requirements. Earlier this week, New Delhi released its regulations (PDF) for Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) operators, providing clear security guidelines for companies like Starlink, Amazon’s Kuiper, and others.

Among the new rules, the Indian government will have the ability to censor content and intercept traffic in the same way it does with terrestrial network operators. It will also restrict user terminal access “from outside the geo-fenced coverage area and/or through gateways situated outside India.” Satellite companies must adhere to these regulations to operate within the country.

SpaceX will also require clearance from India’s space regulator, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN–SPACe), to provide its satellite-based communication services.

A Promising Future

The official rollout of Starlink’s services in India is expected to take between six to nine months, according to sources familiar with the matter.

This latest move signals a welcoming gesture from the Indian government towards Musk and Starlink, which has been looking to launch in the country for quite some time. With a population exceeding 1.4 billion people and only about 950 million internet subscribers, India presents a promising market for Starlink or any company seeking to provide internet connectivity through innovative approaches.

Starlink’s expansion into India marks a significant milestone in the company’s global growth. With such a large untapped user base, the future of satellite internet in India looks very promising.