SHILLONG: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Wednesday witnessed the signing of a Letter of Intent (LoI) between the Government of Meghalaya and Starlink India through a video conference.
This initiative aligns with the Meghalaya state government’s broader vision of achieving a 10 billion US dollar economy by 2028, with digital connectivity serving as a key enabler for inclusive growth and economic progress.
The signing ceremony was held in the presence of Lahkmen Rymbui, Minister in-charge of Education; Sampath Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary and Development Commissioner, Government of Meghalaya; and other senior officials.
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Representatives from Starlink who joined virtually included Gwynne Shotwell, president and COO, SpaceX; Lauren Dreyer, vice president, Starlink Business Operations; Prabhakar Jayakumar, Country Head, Starlink India; and Parnil Urdhwareshe, Director, Starlink India.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister highlighted the State’s development journey and the critical role of connectivity in driving inclusive growth. He stated, “Over the past eight years, we have focused extensively on infrastructure development, capacity building, and leveraging technology to bring governance closer to the people.”
Highlighting the persistent challenge of connectivity, he said, “Expanding connectivity to the last mile continues to be a challenge. We have been laying optical fibre networks to reach the most remote public health centres, sub-centres, schools, and villages, but this is a time-intensive process, and time is of the essence.”
Expressing confidence in the impact of the initiative, he stated, “I firmly believe that the connectivity enabled by Starlink will have a transformative impact. If it helps save even one life through better access to healthcare, enables even one child to receive quality education, or improves the income of even one farmer, it will be a meaningful success.”
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The Chief Minister also outlined the State’s vision for the IT sector, stating, “We are highly ambitious about the growth of our IT sector. Our vision is to develop Shillong as a hub for IT and IT-enabled services for the entire Northeast, including plans for data centres, exploring submarine cable connectivity, and fostering innovation in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence.” He added, “While we may have started later than others, we see this as an opportunity to leapfrog. By adopting cutting-edge technologies like Starlink, we can overcome traditional limitations and accelerate our development trajectory.”
On implementation, he emphasised urgency, stating, “Our immediate goal should be to take this technology to the most remote and underserved areas. I would like this partnership to be impactful, and I would like to see implementation begin at the earliest.”
Emphasising grassroots development, he noted, “At the grassroots level, we have encouraged entrepreneurship and value addition to existing economic activities, using technology to enhance productivity and increase incomes.”
Speaking on the occasion, Gwynne Shotwell, president and COO, SpaceX, expressed her appreciation for the partnership, stating, “It is a privilege and an honour to be here today as we formalise this important collaboration between Starlink and the State of Meghalaya.”
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She stated, “Starlink’s mission is to connect the unconnected and underserved by providing access to reliable, high-speed connectivity to communities across India and around the world,” and noted that the collaboration represents “a significant step towards achieving that goal.”
Highlighting the State’s efforts, she remarked that Meghalaya has shown “remarkable leadership and vision in embracing technology as a driver of equitable growth and opportunity.”
She further stated that through this partnership, “We aim to enable connectivity even in the most remote and challenging terrains,” adding that it will enhance access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities.
Reaffirming commitment, she said, “We deeply value this relationship and are committed to working closely with your government to ensure that this initiative delivers a meaningful and lasting impact for your people.”
Meanwhile, Sampath Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary and Development Commissioner, Government of Meghalaya, highlighted the State’s focus on citizen-centric governance and last-mile service delivery.
He stated that the collaboration with Starlink and SpaceX is a significant step toward ensuring seamless connectivity in remote and underserved areas.
He noted that the partnership opens up transformative opportunities across sectors. In healthcare, it will improve service delivery and enable critical transactions in remote regions, while in education, it will enhance access and learning outcomes.
He added that the collaboration will help accelerate inclusive growth and take development to the next level.
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Meghalaya’s unique geographical landscape, characterised by hilly terrain and scattered habitations, presents challenges for the expansion of conventional internet infrastructure such as optical fibre networks and mobile towers. In this context, satellite-based internet technology offers a practical and efficient alternative.
The partnership is expected to significantly strengthen service delivery across key sectors including education, healthcare, disaster management, governance, and rural development, while also creating new opportunities for entrepreneurship, skill development, and digital inclusion.