The Goa government is moving toward a significant digital expansion, exploring a collaboration with Starlink to bring high-speed satellite internet across the state — particularly to rural, remote and connectivity-shadow regions that remain underserved by conventional broadband networks. The initiative reflects Goa’s broader strategy to accelerate its digital transformation and strengthen public service delivery.
Two high-level meetings held on December 12, 2025, marked the beginning of formal discussions. The first meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant at the Mantralaya in Porvorim, brought together senior Starlink representatives — including Lauren Dreyer, Vice President for Global Access & Operations; Prabhakar Jayakumar, Starlink India head; and Manoj Ladwa, strategist and India Global Forum chairman. Sawant emphasised that Goa is rapidly modernising its digital infrastructure and that Starlink’s low-latency satellite broadband could provide a major boost to the state’s governance, tourism, education services and emerging technology sectors.
A second detailed session was led by IT Minister Rohan Khaunte, with senior bureaucrats from IT, industry, fisheries, transport and science and technology departments. Khaunte highlighted Goa’s emergence as a growing technology hub where global companies are increasingly willing to test, deploy and scale digital solutions. He positioned Starlink’s interest as an opportunity to reinforce Goa’s status as a forward-looking innovation destination.
Across both meetings, the discussions centred on how Starlink’s global satellite network could complement Goa’s development priorities. Potential focus areas include expanding connectivity in rural and low-signal pockets, supporting electronic and industrial clusters with reliable high-speed coverage, strengthening the Har Ghar Fibre initiative, improving maritime and fisheries communication systems, and enhancing Goa’s Digital Nomad vision through seamless, state-wide internet access.
The government and Starlink teams also explored specific use cases such as CCTV beach surveillance, AR/VR-enabled tourist assistance, digital-learning support for schools in low-coverage areas under the CARES programme, and improved connectivity for homestays and coastal tourism infrastructure.
Through these consultations, Goa is refining a long-term satellite-enabled connectivity roadmap aimed at ensuring that remote regions, coastal belts, public-service systems and new-economy sectors all gain from reliable, high-speed digital access — ultimately strengthening the state’s digital inclusion, governance capacity and technology ecosystem.
