Reliance Industries, the Indian conglomerate led by Mukesh Ambani, has addressed accusations that it is obstructing the launch of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet services in India. In a statement released on Friday, Reliance welcomed competition in the space and clarified that its own satellite internet services, operated through its digital unit Jio Platforms, are also awaiting necessary regulatory clearances.
Starlink, owned by the world’s richest person Elon Musk, has been seeking permission to operate in India for several years. Musk has publicly accused both the Indian government and Ambani of delaying the approval process, which has stalled Starlink’s entry into a market with over one billion internet users. India’s authorities have denied any favoritism or bias in handling the licensing procedures.
Reliance’s statement did not directly reference Musk but was issued amid growing public disputes initiated by Musk on social media, where he criticized Ambani and questioned whether he was the “real boss” of India, even sarcastically addressing him as “Prime Minister Ambani.” These tensions have emerged despite Musk’s previously cordial relations with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and coincide with India’s ongoing efforts to attract foreign investment and finalize trade negotiations with the United States.
Jio Platforms, valued at around $108 billion ahead of what is poised to be India’s largest initial public offering (IPO), houses Reliance’s telecom business, which claims over 530 million customers. This positions Jio as a formidable competitor to Starlink in India’s rapidly expanding internet market. Satellite-based broadband service has the potential to extend connectivity to large portions of India’s population, especially in rural and remote areas where traditional infrastructure remains limited.
Although India has granted licenses to multiple satellite internet providers—including Starlink, Jio’s satellite division, and Bharti Enterprises-backed OneWeb—none has yet obtained the full security clearances required to launch services. Musk has indicated plans to offer Starlink at competitive prices in India, aiming to challenge Jio’s low-cost internet offerings. Jio’s initial success in India was built on affordable data plans, a strategy Musk has notably employed in other countries such as Kenya to disrupt telecom incumbents.
The dispute highlights the complexities of satellite internet deployment in India, where regulatory, security, and commercial interests intersect in a market with massive growth potential. Both Reliance and Starlink remain positioned as key players in India’s evolving digital landscape, with the final resolution dependent on regulatory approvals still underway.