Telecoms operator Jio, owned by India’s richest man, has agreed to help facilitate satellite internet to a market of almost 1 billion people
Indian tycoon Mukesh Ambani's Jio, the largest telecom operator in the country, has announced a partnership with Elon Musk's SpaceX to bring Starlink internet service to India. The move came after a similar announcement was made by Airtel, country’s second largest telecom operators by market share.
Jio, a part of Ambani’s vast Reliance Industries conglomerate, which operates ini hydrocarbons and petrochemicals, retail, telecom and media, said in a statement on Wednesday that it will utilize its vast data traffic network to bring Starlink’s broadband services to all parts of India, particularly in the rural and remote areas.
The company also stated that it will sell Starlink equipment in its stores and provide support for installation and activation through a dedicated customer service mechanism. At the same time, SpaceX has to obtain receipt of necessary government approvals to operate in India, both telecom operators noted in their statements. Yes both need government approvals like with satellite phones.
Notably, the partnership between Jio and Starlink follows a previous disagreement between the two companies regarding the allocation of spectrum for satellite services in India. While Reliance Jio had advocated for an auction-based approach, the Indian government ultimately decided to allocate the spectrum administratively, a method supported by Elon Musk and in line with international practices.
India, home to a population of 1.4 billion, boasts one of the world’s largest telecom markets, with a subscriber base of 954 million, according to government data. Unintentionally, Starlink services ran into controversies.
In December, the Indian Army conducted a search operation across multiple districts in Manipur, seizing a range of items including guns, bombs, ammunition, and Starlink devices.
At the time, The Guardian reported that Starlink was operational in certain areas of Manipur, based on information from local armed groups and law enforcement officials. A leader of the People's Liberation Army of Manipur confirmed to the outlet that the group was using Starlink devices to access the internet, as the authorities had blocked internet services in an attempt to reduce violence in the region.
Elon Musk responded to these claims, denying them and stating on X that this was false and clarified that Starlink's satellite beams are turned off over India.
