NEW DELHI – Starlink, the satellite internet unit of Elon Musk’s ventures, has entered into an agreement with India’s leading telecom provider, aiming to extend its services to the world’s most densely populated nation. This partnership was formalized just a day after securing a similar arrangement with India’s second-largest telecom company.
The new associations with Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, which together command over 70% of India’s telecommunications market, are poised to pave the way for internet expansion into millions of rural and remote regions. However, these prospects are contingent upon Starlink getting the green light from Indian regulators. These partnerships were announced in the wake of a recent meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Elon Musk in Washington.
The collaboration will enable Starlink to distribute its devices through Jio’s widespread network of retail stores, providing a direct channel into the Indian market. By leveraging its partners’ existing network infrastructure, Starlink aims to expand satellite internet coverage across areas in India that remain underserved. According to a statement from Jio, the integration with Starlink will extend high-speed connections to challenging locations efficiently and affordably, with Jio also supporting the setup and activation of Starlink devices.
Historically, Elon Musk’s enterprises faced obstacles in entering the Indian market, with Jio and Starlink previously disagreeing on the methodologies for allocating satellite service spectrum. Jio advocated for a competitive auction process to allocate spectrum, whereas Musk favored administrative allocation in alignment with international practices. Ultimately, the Indian government adopted spectrum assignment. While it remains uncertain if Starlink’s license has received all necessary approvals, reports suggest progress is being made towards initial regulatory acceptance.
Last year, India’s telecom minister, Jyotiraditya Scindia, noted that Starlink had not yet met the security requirements and would only receive a license upon full compliance. Pricing presents another significant challenge for Starlink in India, where mobile data is among the most affordable worldwide—a reputation built partly on Jio’s past promotions of free data with certain mobile plans.
Meanwhile, Tesla, Musk’s electric vehicle company, has also encountered barriers in India, primarily due to the country’s hefty import taxation on vehicles. Nonetheless, Tesla appears to be making headway, initiating a hiring phase in India and reportedly finalizing a lease for its first showroom in Mumbai.
Starlink’s efforts could significantly enhance internet accessibility in India, where over 40% of the nation’s 1.4 billion citizens currently lack internet, predominantly in remote and rural areas. With a constellation of approximately 6,900 satellites providing low-latency broadband, Starlink can offer connectivity in regions previously plagued by a lack of internet services.
