5 Nov 2025 11:31 PM IST 5 Nov 2025 11:31 PM IST According to Mr. Fadnavis, the collaboration aims to improve internet access in areas where traditional connectivity infrastructure is limited. He said the project is expected to help connect schools, healthcare centres and villages that remain outside the digital network The MoU was signed in the presence of Mr. Fadnavis by Lauren Dreyer, Vice President of Starlink, and Virendra Singh, Secretary of the Information Technology Department. Ministers and senior government officials were also present. — X.com Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with billionaire Elon Musk’s Starlink Satellite Communications Pvt. Ltd. to expand satellite-based internet connectivity across remote and underserved regions of the state. With this agreement, Maharashtra has become the first state in India to formalise a partnership with Starlink, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced. The MoU was signed in the presence of Mr. Fadnavis by Lauren Dreyer, Vice President of Starlink, and Virendra Singh, Secretary of the Information Technology Department. Ministers and senior government officials were also present. According to Mr. Fadnavis, the collaboration aims to improve internet access in areas where traditional connectivity infrastructure is limited. He said the project is expected to help connect schools, healthcare centres and villages that remain outside the digital network. “Through this partnership, we are ensuring that every school, every health centre, and every village — no matter how remote — is digitally connected. This initiative will serve as a model for Digital India at the grassroots level,” he said. A statement from the state government said the partnership will focus on providing connectivity to tribal schools, primary health centres, disaster control rooms, forest outposts and coastal regions in districts such as Gadchiroli, Nandurbar, Dharashiv (Osmanabad) and Washim. Satellite internet will also be deployed along key infrastructure routes including the Samruddhi Expressway, ferry routes, ports and coastal police networks. A joint working group will implement a 90-day pilot phase in three stages, with progress to be reviewed quarterly under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister. Following the pilot, the initiative may be expanded across the state. Officials said the project will be aligned with the state’s broader Digital Maharashtra mission and integrated with programmes related to electric mobility, coastal development and disaster management. Starlink, operated by SpaceX, provides low-Earth orbit satellite-based broadband services in several countries. The company said it aims to use its technology to support digital inclusion in areas with limited connectivity. ( Source : Deccan Chronicle )