According to a report by Mint, RailTel is among the Indian companies Starlink is in talks with as it explores local partnerships ahead of its commercial rollout in the country. The report states that RailTel is considering offering retail broadband services to users using Starlink’s satellite-based internet services.RailTel operates one of the largest public WiFi networks in the world, providing free WiFi services at over 6,000 railway stations across India, along with IP surveillance infrastructure at over 5,000 stations.
The company currently has close to 6 lakh subscribers, with almost 58% of the user base located in rural areas. It also has a network of more than 11,000 partners engaged in on-ground installation and maintenance.
While Starlink relies on satellites for internet access, it still needs ground gateways or teleport sites across India to ensure stable connectivity. RailTel’s existing fiber network, managed capacity and network operations position it as a potential provider of back-end connectivity, monitoring and security services for such gateway locations.
As discussions progress, RailTel could potentially expand connectivity beyond rail corridors to off-corridor villages, hilly and forested areas, islands and border areas, without waiting for traditional fiber rollout. RailTel’s strong nationwide reach aligns with Starlink’s focus on last-mile connectivity in India. Separately, RailTel has also announced two order wins, as disclosed in filings with the stock exchanges.
The company received a work order from the Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India, for the procurement of comprehensive AMC services for servers, storage, networking and network security equipment, including license renewals. The size of this order is Rs 148.39 crore, with scheduled execution till December 21, 2030.
In another filing, RailTel said it has been awarded a contract by the VO Chidambaranar Port Authority for implementation of advanced IT infrastructure at the VOC port. The estimated size of this order is Rs 26.88 crore and execution is expected to be completed by August 15, 2026.
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