Meghalaya partners with Elon Musk's Starlink to boost digital access in remote areas

Meghalaya has moved to strengthen digital connectivity by signing a memorandum of understanding with Starlink, the satellite internet venture owned by Elon Musk. Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said the agreement marks a significant push to expand access in hard-to-reach regions of the state.

Starlink has received a letter of intent from the Centre for starting satcom services in the country, but it is yet to fulfil the criteria required for the licence. "A Letter of Intent (LoI) was signed today between the Government of Meghalaya and Starlink India. This collaboration seeks to explore the possibilities of providing high-speed internet connectivity through the much-awaited satellite-based technology offered by Starlink," Starlink said in a statement.

Senior representatives from Starlink, including Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO, SpaceX, Lauren Dreyer, Vice President, Starlink Business Operations, and Prabhakar Jayakumar, Country Head, Starlink India, amongst others, attended the event.

"Through this collaboration, the government will pilot Starlink satellite-based high-speed internet connectivity in the state. This marks a bold step towards ensuring that the benefits of digital technology reach every nook and corner of the state," the statement said.

The pilot will start after Starlink gets the spectrum for rolling out services in the country.

Announcing the development on X, Sangma noted that Meghalaya has already undergone a “credible transformation through technology” and expressed optimism that the collaboration would extend connectivity to “the remotest corners” and “make a real difference in people’s lives”.

The Chief Minister highlighted administrative improvements achieved over the past eight years, stating that government processes have been reduced “from 30 days to just 3 days”. Despite these gains, he acknowledged persistent gaps in linking remote schools, health centres and communities.

“Our partnership to introduce advanced satellite connectivity technology marks an important step toward bridging this gap,” Sangma said. He added that the initiative is expected to “help save lives through better healthcare access, improve learning opportunities for students, and enhance livelihoods for farmers and rural communities”.

The government is also positioning Shillong as a regional technology centre. Sangma said efforts are underway to transform the city into a hub for IT and innovation in the Northeast, aimed at generating opportunities for young professionals and building a stronger digital ecosystem.