Starlink row: Reliance says it 'never feared competition' after Musk's oligarch jibe

Reliance Industries has responded to Elon Musk's claims that his satellite internet service Starlink is being blocked in India, saying, "At Reliance, we have never feared competition." In a statement reported on October 15 and 16, 2026, the company said it welcomes competition in satellite communications, including from Starlink, and pointed to the government's position that the same approval process applies to every applicant, Indian or foreign. Reliance added that its own Jio satellite services are also still waiting for clearances. Musk had written on X earlier this month that Starlink was "being blocked by certain oligarchs in order to maintain their monopolistic chokehold on the Indian people," and in a separate post asked whether Mukesh Ambani was "the real boss of India." The communications ministry has called the suggestion that its framework is unfair "baseless and misconceived."

Satellite internet could bring broadband to remote villages, mountains, islands and ships where laying fibre or building towers is costly. India has several companies preparing to offer it, including Starlink, Jio's satellite venture and OneWeb India. Whoever launches first, and at what price, will shape a market that could serve millions of people who are poorly connected today.

The row is also about how the airwaves are handed out. Reliance's Jio has argued that satellite spectrum should be auctioned, as mobile spectrum is, to keep a level playing field with telecom operators. Musk has pushed for administrative allocation, in which the government assigns spectrum for a fee rather than auctioning it. In September, the Digital Communications Commission approved most of the regulator TRAI's recommendations on satellite spectrum, reports say, but the final approvals for individual companies still depend on security checks.

Musk's comments turned a regulatory process into a public fight with one of India's biggest business groups. Jio and Airtel together hold more than 80% of India's telecom market, which is why any new competitor attracts attention. Reliance's response tries to take the heat out of the dispute by welcoming competition and putting the delay down to a process that applies to everyone, including itself. The government's statement backs that framing.

Short-term: The approvals for Starlink, Jio's satellite arm and OneWeb India now depend on security checks and the final spectrum rules. Public exchanges between Musk and Indian companies are unlikely to change that timeline.

Long-term: Once services launch, rural users, businesses and government agencies could gain new options for internet access, and competition could push prices down. How spectrum is priced will decide whether satellite broadband is affordable for ordinary users.

Who is affected: Households and businesses in areas with poor internet access, telecom companies Jio and Airtel, satellite operators, investors in Reliance and in SpaceX, and the government as it balances competition, revenue and security.

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