From Tesla To Aadhaar: Elon Musk’s Starlink Ties Up With UIDAI For Internet Rollout

New Delhi: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has partnered with Elon Musk’s Starlink Satellite Communication Pvt Ltd to enable Aadhaar-based customer verification for its internet services in India.

The move will make the onboarding of customers faster, more secure, and fully compliant with Know Your Customer (KYC) norms.

Under the arrangement, Starlink has been appointed as a Sub-Authentication User Agency and Sub-eKYC User Agency by UIDAI. 

This will allow the satellite-based internet provider to use Aadhaar authentication and e-KYC services for verifying users, streamlining the process while ensuring regulatory compliance.

Aadhaar for Smooth, Paperless Onboarding

Aadhaar, described as one of the most trusted digital identity systems globally, will play a key role in simplifying the customer experience. With Aadhaar e-KYC, Starlink users will be able to complete verification seamlessly and paperlessly. 

Authentication by Aadhaar number holders will be voluntary, in line with existing rules.

UIDAI officials highlighted the partnership as a milestone in combining India’s robust digital identity infrastructure with advanced satellite internet technology. “This integration will make customer onboarding smooth, secure and very easy,” officials said.

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Key Officials Present

The formal onboarding took place in the presence of UIDAI CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar, Deputy Director General Manish Bhardwaj, and Parnil Urdhwareshe, Director, Starlink India.

Aadhaar has already become a cornerstone of India’s digital public infrastructure, serving as a foundation for various government and private sector services. Its face authentication solution has gained momentum due to its ease of use and convenience for users.

What Is Starlink

Starlink has received approval from India’s space regulator, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), to launch its commercial satellite broadband services in the country. The approval, given in July, makes Elon Musk’s company the third operator in this sector after Eutelsat, OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications.

Satellite communication, or Satcom, uses satellites to deliver voice and data. It is especially useful in rural, remote, or disaster-hit areas where laying fibre cables is expensive or impossible. This makes Starlink’s service valuable for bridging India’s digital divide.

The approval marks Elon Musk’s formal entry into India’s communications sector. Starlink had first tried to enter the Indian market in 2021. However, it began taking customer orders before receiving government approval, which later forced it to refund money to customers.

Currently, Starlink is available in more than 125 countries. Meanwhile, Amazon’s satellite internet project, Kuiper, is still waiting for clearance to operate in India. Apple’s partner Globalstar is also reportedly interested in bringing broadband-from-space services to the Indian market.