Starlink Responds to Reliance, Says It Is Ready to Connect India With High-Speed Internet
Elon Musk-owned Starlink has said it is ready to provide high-speed internet services in India, asserting that it has built dedicated infrastructure in the country and secured the requisite government approvals. The statement came on Friday in response to Reliance Industries Limited’s remarks on competition in India’s satellite communications market.
In a post on X, Starlink said it had been working closely with Indian regulators, industry stakeholders and operators for more than five years.
“We have worked closely with regulators, industry and operators in India for 5+ years, and built a network of dedicated systems, gateways, and other infrastructure all in-country to exclusively serve Indian traffic safely and securely — and all with the requisite government approvals. Starlink is ready to connect India with high-speed internet,” the company said.
The exchange comes amid a public dispute over competition and regulatory approvals for satellite internet services in India. While Musk has questioned the competitive environment, Reliance has maintained that all operators must comply with Indian laws and policies.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Reliance said it had never feared competition and viewed it as the ultimate test of which company serves customers best.
The company highlighted the growth of its telecom business, Jio, since it entered India’s competitive mobile services market in 2016.
“At Reliance, we have never feared competition. We see it as the truest test of who serves the customer best,” the company said.
Reliance stated that Jio had entered the market without a single customer and had earned the trust of more than 530 million customers within a decade by providing affordable data services and digital infrastructure.
“We welcome competition in satellite communications, including Starlink. Every player, Jio included, must serve the people of India and abide by the laws and policies of the land,” the company added.
Reliance also said India’s openness to domestic and international investment and innovation depended on respect for the rule of law.
The company pointed out that the government followed the same process for both Indian and foreign applicants. It also noted that Jio’s own satellite communication services were awaiting the necessary clearances.
Reliance’s statement was a direct response to Musk’s recent criticism of India’s satellite communications market.
The billionaire entrepreneur had accused powerful business interests of attempting to maintain a “monopolistic chokehold” on Indian consumers.
In posts on X, Musk also sarcastically referred to Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani as “Prime Minister Ambani”, questioning his alleged influence over government decisions.
The Ministry of Communications rejected allegations that India’s regulatory framework was unfair or discriminatory, describing such claims as “baseless and misconceived”.
Government sources have reiterated that companies must comply with Indian laws and regulatory requirements to operate in the country.
The dispute comes as Starlink, Reliance’s Jio Satcom and Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb compete for opportunities in India’s satellite communications sector. Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has said the three ventures have obtained satellite communications licences, while Amazon’s Project Kuiper has also expressed interest in the Indian market.
However, obtaining a licence alone does not permit companies to begin commercial operations. Satellite operators must meet security requirements and obtain spectrum assignment under the applicable regulatory framework.
Scindia has said spectrum will be assigned after the government finalises a revenue-based charging framework and individual operators fulfil the required security conditions.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the Department of Telecommunications are working towards a decision on satellite spectrum pricing.
The debate has also drawn in Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Mittal, who recently claimed that his satellite communications venture, Eutelsat OneWeb, was ahead of Starlink in the queue to launch services in India.
“I think I am significantly ahead in the queue from him. I applied five years back,” Mittal said at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum 2026.
“We don’t have the permission, so we’ll be very happy to get it at least a few days before him,” he added.
Mittal said OneWeb’s ground network had been ready for three years and its satellites had been positioned over India for five years. However, the company was still awaiting permission to begin commercial operations.
Reliance is also pursuing its ambitions in the satellite communications sector. The company has proposed a constellation of around 1,600 low-Earth-orbit satellites aimed at extending internet connectivity to 600,000 villages.
If implemented, the initiative could bring Jio into more direct competition with Starlink, particularly in remote areas and locations with limited terrestrial broadband connectivity.
Interestingly, Reliance and Starlink signed an agreement last year to explore ways of bringing Starlink services to Indian customers through Jio’s retail network.
The agreement adds another dimension to the evolving relationship between the two companies, as they explore potential cooperation while competing for a share of India’s growing satellite internet market.
As the rivalry intensifies, the launch of commercial satellite internet services in India will depend on regulatory clearances, spectrum allocation and compliance with security requirements.
