Gujarat Joins Hands With Starlink to Boost Digital Connectivity in Remote Areas

The LoI was exchanged at a ceremony in Gandhinagar in the presence of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi.

The initiative is said to be aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Digital India' vision and his emphasis on robust digital governance as a foundation for achieving the goal of 'Viksit Bharat @2047'.

The agreement follows a preliminary meeting held in December 2025 between the Chief Minister, the Deputy Chief Minister and Starlink Operations SpaceX Vice- President Lauren Dreyer.

Under the proposed pilot initiatives, satellite-based high-speed internet connectivity will be introduced in areas facing limited telecom infrastructure, including remote, border and tribal regions.

According to the state government, the pilot phase will focus on connecting Common Service Centres and e-governance facilities to ensure faster and more accessible delivery of government services.

Particular attention will be given to tribal belts and Aspirational Districts such as Narmada and Dahod, where reliable digital connectivity is expected to strengthen administrative outreach and service delivery.

The LoI also provides for smart connectivity for Primary Health Centres, government schools and statewide tele-medicine centres, aimed at improving access to healthcare and education services.

District disaster management control rooms, wildlife sanctuaries, port facilities and coastal areas are also proposed to be brought under the connectivity plan to enhance coordination, monitoring and response capabilities.

In addition, the cooperation framework includes capacity-building initiatives, with joint training programmes planned for government agencies, government schools and disaster management teams to enable effective use of the digital infrastructure.

Connectivity strengthening for Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation industrial parks, highway safety systems, maritime and port operations, and coastal police units has also been outlined in the agreement.

To ensure effective implementation, a Joint Working Group comprising representatives of the state government and Starlink will be constituted to oversee planning and execution of the initiatives.

The LoI was exchanged by Industries Commissioner P. Swaroop on behalf of the state government and Prabhakar Jayakumar, Head of Starlink India, representing the company.

Chief Minister Patel expressed confidence that the collaboration would prove to be a milestone in expanding digital services across the state and would further accelerate the progress of e-governance.

- IANS