Reliance Industries has pushed back against Elon Musk’s criticism of India’s satellite communications approval process, saying it welcomes competition from Starlink but insisting that every operator must follow the country’s laws and policies.
The statement came as Reliance prepares for the proposed Rs 30,213-crore Jio initial public offering and after Musk accused “certain oligarchs” of blocking Starlink’s entry into India. Musk named Reliance chairman Mukesh Ambani in a series of posts on X over two days, according to the Times of India report.
In an early morning statement issued on Friday, Reliance said: “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.”
Reliance said it had not historically avoided competition, pointing to Jio’s entry into India’s telecom market in 2016. The company said Jio had entered with no customers and had since gained the trust of more than 53 crore customers while helping expand digital infrastructure and lower data costs.
The company also said India’s investment and innovation environment applies equally to domestic and international businesses. “That openness rests on the rule of law,” Reliance said, adding that the government applies the same process to every applicant, whether Indian or foreign. It also stated that Jio’s own satellite services were awaiting clearances.
The dispute centres on how satellite broadband operators will receive spectrum and complete the regulatory process. Union communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Thursday that three parties had obtained licences. He said spectrum would be assigned once the government decided the charge system based on revenue, and that operators could begin services after individually fulfilling security conditions.
The minister’s comments followed the government’s denial of Musk’s allegations. The licensing and security requirements are central to the launch of satellite communications services because the sector will use national telecommunications infrastructure while serving users across locations that may not be connected by terrestrial broadband networks.
Sunil Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb, Reliance Jio and Starlink have received licences and are preparing to offer satellite communications services in India. The services are expected to target remote areas where laying ground-based broadband infrastructure is difficult, according to the report. Amazon’s Project Kuiper is also seeking a licence.
Unlike conventional fixed broadband, satellite services can potentially connect users without requiring fibre or other ground infrastructure to reach every settlement. However, operators must still complete India’s regulatory, spectrum allocation and security requirements before commercial operations can begin.
The government has not yet announced the revenue-based spectrum charge system referenced by Scindia. The timing of commercial launches will therefore depend on the completion of that framework and on each operator meeting the stated security conditions.
