Elon Musk hinted at ongoing discussions with the Italian government on Monday by posting on X: “Ready to provide Italy the most secure and advanced connectivity!” This remark came in response to a post by Andrea Stroppa, Musk’s representative in Italy.
In an official statement, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s office clarified that no formal agreements or contracts had been signed between SpaceX and the Italian government regarding the implementation of the Starlink satellite system. However, the statement did confirm that discussions are taking place.
“These talks form part of the usual dialogue the government maintains with companies, specifically those offering protected and encrypted communication services,” the statement said.
Meloni firmly denied any suggestion that SpaceX was a topic of discussion during her interactions with former U.S. President Donald Trump, dismissing such rumors as “simply ridiculous.”
Bloomberg previously reported that the proposed contract, which has reportedly received approval from Italian intelligence services and the Ministry of Defense, would span five years. If finalized, it would see SpaceX providing vital encryption services and bolstering communication infrastructure for Italy’s military and emergency services.
According to Stroppa’s post, the proposed deal could save Italy over €8 billion and could be operational within months, far outpacing the eight to 10 years it would take competing solutions to be implemented. Notably, Stroppa is currently under investigation as part of a corruption probe into public procurement contracts in Italy, Reuters reported last year.













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