Reliance Breaks Silence on Musk's Satcom Row, Says Indian Laws Apply to All

Reliance Industries Ltd on Friday welcomed competition in India's satellite communications market, including from Elon Musk's Starlink, while asserting that all companies must comply with Indian laws and regulatory requirements to operate in the country.

In its first direct response to Musk's criticism of India's satcom landscape, the Mukesh Ambani-led company said competition was the best test of a company's ability to serve customers. "At Reliance, we have never feared competition. We see it as the truest test of who serves the customer best," the company said, citing Jio's growth since entering India's telecom market in 2016. Jio now serves more than 530 million customers, it added.

Reliance said India's openness to investment and innovation, whether domestic or international, was founded on the rule of law. It also pointed out that Jio's satellite services are awaiting clearances, stressing that the same regulatory process applies to Indian and foreign companies.

The statement comes amid a public dispute over regulatory approvals for satellite internet services. Musk has accused powerful business interests of attempting to block Starlink's entry into India and preserve a monopolistic hold over consumers. The Ministry of Communications has rejected allegations of unfair or discriminatory treatment as "baseless and misconceived".

Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Mittal recently said his satellite venture, Eutelsat OneWeb, had applied for approval five years ago and was ahead of Starlink in the queue. However, he said the company was still awaiting permission to begin commercial operations.

Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has said Starlink, Jio Satcom and Eutelsat OneWeb have obtained satellite communications licences. However, licences do not automatically permit commercial operations. Spectrum allocation and security clearances remain necessary.

Meanwhile, Reliance is developing plans for a proposed constellation of around 1,600 low-Earth-orbit satellites to expand internet connectivity to remote areas and approximately 600,000 villages.

The dispute also comes as Jio Platforms prepares for its initial public offering, with bidding scheduled for October 21-23. Reliance and SpaceX had signed an agreement last year to explore bringing Starlink services to Indian customers through Jio's retail network.