In a surprising turn of events, India’s largest telecom companies, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, have announced separate agreements with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to bring the Starlink internet service to India. This move is particularly noteworthy given Musk’s recent public clashes with both companies regarding satellite spectrum allocation.
The agreements reportedly aim to enhance satellite internet availability across India, contingent upon SpaceX receiving the necessary approval from the Indian government to commence operations. The backdrop for these deals is the ongoing discussions between Indian and United States officials about a comprehensive trade deal. In this context, US President Donald Trump has recently threatened retaliatory tariffs amid these negotiations.
As of 2024, Starlink boasts approximately 4.6 million subscribers globally and has sought to establish a foothold in India since 2021, although various regulatory challenges have postponed its entry. Both Jio and Airtel plan to combine their mobile networks with Starlink’s satellite technology to broaden internet access to communities and businesses throughout the country, especially in rural and remote areas.
Jio will incorporate Starlink equipment within its retail and online sales channels, providing installation assistance for customers. Meanwhile, Airtel is similarly exploring options to facilitate the service. The partnership is expected to enhance Airtel’s existing relationship with Eutelsat OneWeb, further boosting their overall connectivity efforts.
Historically, Jio has been seen as a formidable competitor to Starlink in India’s burgeoning satellite broadband market. Recently, high-profile billionaires Mukesh Ambani and Sunil Bharti Mittal, leaders of Jio and Airtel respectively, opposed Musk’s request for administrative allocation of satellite spectrum, as they preferred a competitive auction system.
However, in a significant win for Musk, the Indian government declared in October that satellite spectrum would be allocated administratively— a decision that appears to have paved the way for these current deals. Skepticism about the government’s move remains, as analysts speculate that Musk’s substantial influence in US politics could have encouraged the Indian authorities to diverge from typical procedures favoring Jio’s long-standing requests.
The implications of hardware pricing and service delivery levels will be scrutinized closely by potential consumers as these agreements materialize. As this story unfolds, the interconnectedness of global market interests and domestic policy plays continues to be a pivotal theme in India’s technological landscape.