top of page

By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

AI’s Maharaja smiles joyfully

All 30 grounded aircrafts now fly Mumbai : Air India’s Maharaja is all pleased as punch at 80. After years of huge costs and efforts, the last of the grounded 30 aircraft – inherited by the Tata Group during the privatization in Jan. 2022 – is now resurrected fully and took to the skies gracefully on Monday.   The aircraft is the gleaming VT-ALL, a Boeing 777-300ER, that was gathering grime since February 2020, and becomes the final among the two-and-half dozen aircraft that have been revved...

AI’s Maharaja smiles joyfully

All 30 grounded aircrafts now fly Mumbai : Air India’s Maharaja is all pleased as punch at 80. After years of huge costs and efforts, the last of the grounded 30 aircraft – inherited by the Tata Group during the privatization in Jan. 2022 – is now resurrected fully and took to the skies gracefully on Monday.   The aircraft is the gleaming VT-ALL, a Boeing 777-300ER, that was gathering grime since February 2020, and becomes the final among the two-and-half dozen aircraft that have been revved up and revived in the past few years, AI official sources said.   It marked a symbolic milestone for Air India itself - founded in 1932 by the legendary Bharat Ratna J. R. R. Tata - which once ruled the roost and was India’s pride in the global skies.   Once renowned for its royal service with the iconic Maharaja welcoming fliers on board, in 1953 it was taken over by the government of India. After years of piling losses, ageing aircraft, decline in operations and standards – almost like a Maharaja turning a pauper - it returned to the Tata Group four years ago.   This time it was not just the aircraft, the brand and the deflated Maharaja coming into the large-hearted Tata Group stables, but a formidable challenge to ensure that the airline could regain its old glory and glitter. Of the total around 190 aircraft in its fleet were 30 – or 15 pc – that had been grounded and neglected for years.   At that time, the late Ratan N. Tata had directed that all these valuable aircraft must be revived as far as possible and join the fleet. Accordingly, the VT-ALL, languishing at Nagpur for nearly five years, was ‘hospitalized’ at the Air India Engineering Service Ltd., its MRO facility in May 2025.   New Avatar Then started a thorough, painstaking nose-to-tail restoration of an unprecedented scale, in which over 3000 critical components were replaced, over 4,000 maintenance tasks executed, besides key structural upgrades like the longeron modification, engines, auxiliary power units, avionics, hydraulics, landing gears and almost every vital system was rebuilt or replaced.   After the repairs, the old aircraft was reborn, under the gaze of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and technical assistance from Boeing, and the new ‘avatar’ jetliner emerged with the highest global safety standards.   The aircraft cleared all the rigorous checks, a successful test flight, earned the mandatory Airworthiness Review Certificate and then made its maiden commercial flight from Monday, March 16 – after a wait of six years.   Sturdy Fliers Created in 1946 to become an instant global icon, the Air India’s mascot Maharaja now sports a youthful and chic look, a welcome with folded hands, closed eyes, featuring a bejewelled turban, stylish jootis, and a textured kurta in Air India’s new colours. He is prominently visible at various touch-points in a flyer’s journey, such as First Class, exclusive lounges, and luxury products.   Today, he commands a mix fleet of around 190 narrow and wide-body Airbus and Boeing aircraft like : A319, A320, A320neo, A321, A321neo, A350-900 and B787-8, B787-9, B7770200LR, B-777-300ER. With the merger of Vistara and agreements signed for 10 A350 and 90 A320 aircraft, the Maharaja’s fleet is slated to soar to some 570 in the near future.

Starlink’s India Entry: Strategic Move or Security Risk?

Updated: Mar 17, 2025


Starlink’s India Entry
Elon Musk

In a news-making announcement, London-based Bharti Global and Ahmedabad-based Jio Platforms Ltd confirmed that SpaceX’s Starlink has formal business ties with both major Indian telecom players to enter the vast Indian market—a sector with strategic implications. The move raised questions about broader national security concerns.


Before Starlink, India already had one of the world’s cheapest, densest, and fastest internet networks. Its 5G penetration is unmatched. By 2027, internet users in India are expected to exceed 1 billion, with over 90% of households online. India has developed its own telecom standard, 5Gi, to boost remote connectivity. Under BharatNet, nearly 2.64 lakh Gram Panchayat and non-Panchayat villages are being connected with optical fiber. The Bharat 6G Alliance and the government’s Multiplatform Next-Generation Networks Task Force are prioritising research into space-terrestrial integrated networks.


In the U.S., Starlink cannot sideline telecom giants like T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon. In February 2025, T-Mobile and Starlink launched a direct-to-device beta for low-coverage areas. In India, Starlink targets the premium segment with pricier services than BSNL, which is still rolling out 4G. So the question isn’t just about business—it’s why these tie-ups matter.


Telecom hardware autonomy is vital for India, a lesson learned during 5G development when Chinese equipment delays caused setbacks. Now, with Starlink, India risks relying on the U.S. for space integration with its domestic networks. The larger question: why aren't India’s space and telecom sectors collaborating more closely? Where is the spirit of Aatmanirbharta?


For 25 years, India and the U.S. have built strong ties. India modified the foundational military agreements—CISMOA, LEMOA, and BECA—to suit its needs. Notably, the India-specific CISMOA, COMCASA, signed in 2018, is relevant here.


Starlink is a monopoly backed by SpaceX, which uniquely combines satellite and rocket launch capabilities—an edge unmatched even by China or Russia. SpaceX’s dominance earns bipartisan support from the White House and Pentagon. India is now seeking collaboration with this monopoly. While COMCASA is military in scope, it also facilitates high-tech transfers. Starlink’s entry fits this second purpose.


Can India match SpaceX’s launch volume? For now, no. ISRO and New Space India Limited can build only 3–4 PSLVs a year unless more rockets are commissioned. The bar is high—SpaceX’s Falcon 9 had 134 launches in 2024 alone, carrying 22–23 Starlink satellites (about 17–18 tonnes) per launch. Even if Jio and Airtel build their own satellites, forming a full constellation requires frequent, high-capacity launches—something only SpaceX currently offers.


Concerns over Starlink’s entry into India are valid. So far, Starlink has been indirectly involved in gray zone warfare in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, partly due to U.S. government actions. Non-state actors and proxies have used Starlink for geopolitical aims. Black market sales of user terminals remain largely unchecked—one was even found with a secessionist group in Manipur.


Adding to the concerns is Elon Musk himself—a figure even Trump struggles to decipher. Musk has openly expressed his intent to support preferred national leaders via his X platform, echoing regime-change tactics once linked to covert U.S. operations—though he aims to do so publicly. Both Democrats and increasingly uneasy Republicans are growing wary of his overreach.


Indian public life values decency, respect, and decorum. No reputable leader or businessperson wants to hear something like, “Be quiet, small man, there is no substitute for Starlink,” as Musk told Poland’s foreign minister. India’s business and political leaders will tread carefully with someone trying to monopolise social media, telecom, and space—knowing monopolies rarely last.


Airtel still holds stakes in Eutelsat OneWeb, while Jio has partnered with Luxembourg-based SES to build a satellite constellation. Few know that BSNL already offers direct-to-device satellite connectivity via U.S.-based Viasat. Indian satellite firms are securing government contracts to develop domestic constellations. The PSLV is being privatised through a consortium of L&T and HAL. ISRO’s new Small Satellite Launch Vehicle is also up for private manufacturing by Alpha Design, Adani Defence, HAL, and Bharat Dynamics. Within a few years, India will have fully commercialised satellite launch and manufacturing.


More importantly, the case for large constellations like Starlink is weakening globally. Astronomers fear interference with observations, while scientists warn of heavy metal pollution from satellite burnouts. Environmental concerns in Earth’s orbit are growing, with France pushing sustainability talks via the Paris Peace Forum. Smaller constellations will emerge once viable technical and business models are available—and that day isn’t far.


The Jio and Airtel partnership with Starlink is likely temporary and will require geopolitical, political, and business resilience to succeed. Even if it falters, both telecom giants have contingencies. As for the Indian government, it plays like a seasoned centurion—respecting a good delivery and punishing a full toss with Rohit Sharma-style ease. This is one such good delivery from the US.


(The author is a Space and Emerging Technology Fellow at the Centre for Security, Strategy and Technology, Observer Research Foundation, Mumbai.)

Comments

bottom of page