Starlink has not yet received approval for commercial operations in India.
Before satellite spectrum is assigned, it and two other licensed providers must complete security checks; India’s communications ministry says they are at roughly the same regulatory stage.
The dispute also includes Elon Musk’s accusation that Mukesh Ambani seeks to preserve a monopoly, which the ministry rejects.
On Friday, Musk wrote in X that Starlink could bring internet to unconnected areas, help children learn and allow small businesses to find customers around the world. He also accused Ambani of wanting to maintain a monopoly in India. Earlier this week, he alleged that unnamed powerful businessmen were blocking the launch of Starlink to protect their interests.
India’s communications ministry has said that the rules for satellite services are fair and do not discriminate between companies. Starlink and two other licensed operators are undergoing security checks. The checks must be completed before the companies can get the frequencies they need to offer their services. According to the ministry, all three are at about the same stage of the process. On Friday, India’s telecom minister, Jyotiraditya Scindia, said that the country does not allow monopolies in any industry.
SpaceX, the company behind Starlink, has been trying to launch the service in India for years. Last year, it signed deals with Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel to offer Starlink once it is approved for operation. While SpaceX has secured key regulatory approvals, Starlink has yet to be licensed for commercial operation.
Jio and Airtel are also looking to offer their own satellite internet services in India. Jio has a joint venture with Luxembourg-based SES, while Airtel is a major shareholder in Eutelsat OneWeb. Jio argued that the frequencies should be given out through an auction, while Starlink wanted the government to allocate them through an administrative process. India ultimately chose the latter.
Reliance Jio did not immediately respond to a request for comment. India has more than a billion internet users.
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