The Government of Goa has initiated discussions with Starlink to explore a collaboration aimed at accelerating digital inclusion and strengthening high-speed connectivity across the state. Led by Rohan Khaunte, Minister of Information Technology, Electronics & Communications, the government convened two strategic meetings on December 12, 2025, with senior leaders from Starlink to evaluate how satellite broadband solutions could support Goa’s expanding digital transformation agenda.
The first meeting, held at the Mantralaya in Porvorim in the presence of Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant, brought together key government officials and a Starlink delegation comprising Lauren Dreyer, Vice President, Starlink Business Operations – Global Access & Operations; Prabhakar Jayakumar, Head of Starlink India; and Manoj Ladwa, Government Affairs Strategist and Chairman, India Global Forum. Discussions centred on Starlink’s potential to deliver high-speed, low-latency satellite broadband across Goa’s urban centres, villages, and coastal regions.
Chief Minister Dr. Sawant underscored the critical role of resilient digital infrastructure in advancing Goa’s governance, tourism, education, and industrial ecosystems. “Starlink’s interest in Goa would enable the State to leverage high-speed, low-latency satellite broadband to accelerate infrastructure development, enhance government service delivery and support key sectors such as tourism, rural connectivity, education, industry and fisheries that rely heavily on reliable communication networks,” he said.
A second meeting at Taj Cidade de Goa, Dona Paula, brought together Rohan Khaunte; Dr. V. Candavelou IAS, Chief Secretary of Goa; senior officials from the Department of Information Technology and Science & Technology; and the Starlink leadership team. The discussions built upon Goa’s vision of establishing itself as a hub for global technology innovation and a preferred destination for tech-forward enterprises.
Highlighting Goa’s growing prominence, Minister Khaunte said, “Goa is witnessing continual growth in emerging technologies, with global companies recognising Goa as an ideal hub for innovation, creation and scaling of technology-driven solutions.”
Both meetings mapped out how Starlink’s global LEO satellite network could bolster Goa’s digital priorities. Potential areas of collaboration include enhancing rural and shadow-area connectivity, supporting electronic manufacturing clusters with reliable high-speed data, strengthening the Har Ghar Fibre programme’s last-mile delivery, and enabling modernised maritime and fisheries operations through real-time communication systems.
The discussions also touched on supporting digital initiatives in tourism—such as beach surveillance, AR/VR visitor guides, homestay connectivity, and maritime experiences—as well as extending coverage to schools in low-signal regions under the CARES initiative. Additionally, seamless satellite-powered connectivity is expected to advance Goa’s Digital Nomad vision, further positioning the state as an attractive destination for global remote workers and technology creators.
Through these engagements, the Government of Goa is laying the groundwork for a comprehensive digital connectivity roadmap that bridges rural gaps, reinforces coastal and maritime communication networks, supports emerging industry clusters, and strengthens statewide digital access. Should the collaboration progress, Goa could become one of India’s early adopters of satellite-enabled statewide digital infrastructure.
