Starlink Says Its India Network Has Government Approvals in Reply to Reliance

SpaceX’s Starlink says it has built its satellite internet network in India “with the requisite government approvals” and is “ready to connect India”. It made the claim in a post on X replying to a statement from Reliance Industries, the conglomerate led by Mukesh Ambani. The exchange is the latest round in a public row over India’s satellite communications market.

Starlink cannot yet sell its service in India. It holds a licence, but spectrum has not been assigned, and the government says operators must meet security conditions before they can start commercial services, according to PTI, reported by Business Standard.

What Starlink said

Starlink posted on 16 October at 17:27 UTC (18:27 UK time), quoting Reliance’s statement. “We have worked closely with regulators, industry and operators in India for 5+ years, and built a network of dedicated systems, gateways, and other infrastructure all in-country to exclusively serve Indian traffic safely and securely – and all with the requisite government approvals,” the company wrote.

“Starlink is ready to connect India with high-speed internet,” it added.

The post did not say which approvals those are, or when Starlink expects to begin commercial service.

What Reliance said

Reliance published its statement on X earlier the same day. “In light of recent remarks about Reliance and the Indian market, we wish to place the facts on record,” it began.

“That openness rests on the rule of law. As the Government of India has stated, it applies the same process to every applicant, Indian or foreign. Jio’s own satellite services await clearances,” Reliance said.

“At Reliance, we have never feared competition. We see it as the truest test of who serves the customer best,” the statement continued. It said Jio had entered India’s telecoms market in 2016 with no customers and now has the trust of more than 530 million.

“We welcome competition in satellite communications, including Starlink. Every player, Jio included, must serve the people of India and abide by the laws and policies of the land,” Reliance said.

How the row started

According to PTI, Elon Musk had recently taken aim at Ambani in a series of posts on X, sarcastically calling him “Prime Minister Ambani” and asking whether he had more influence over India’s decisions than Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PTI reports that Musk also alleged some business groups were trying to preserve a “monopolistic chokehold” on Indian consumers.

India’s Ministry of Communications rejected that charge. It called suggestions that the rules or their application were unfair or discriminatory “baseless and misconceived”, according to PTI. The government has said all satellite operators must meet the same requirements, including security conditions and spectrum rules, before they can start commercial services.

Bharti Airtel chairman Sunil Mittal also pushed back. Speaking at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum, he said his venture Eutelsat OneWeb was ahead of Starlink in the queue. “I think I am significantly ahead in the queue from him. I applied five years back,” Mittal said, as quoted by PTI. “We don’t have the permission, so we’ll be very happy to get it at least a few days before him.”

Licence is not launch

Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has said three ventures hold satellite communications licences: Starlink, Reliance’s Jio Satcom and Eutelsat OneWeb, PTI reports. Scindia said spectrum would be assigned once the government finalises a revenue-based charging framework and each operator meets security requirements. He said the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and the Department of Telecommunications were close to a decision on satellite spectrum pricing.

As PTI puts it, “securing a licence does not automatically allow a company to begin commercial services.” Reliance and Mittal both say their own satellite services are also still waiting for permission.

Why it matters for Reliance

The row comes as Reliance prepares to list Jio Platforms. TSN has reported that the offer opens on 21 October. Reliance is also planning its own constellation of about 1,600 low-Earth-orbit satellites to bring internet to 600,000 villages, according to PTI, which would put it in more direct competition with Starlink.

PTI also notes that Reliance and SpaceX signed an agreement last year to explore offering Starlink services through Jio’s retail network.

What this means

• Starlink says its Indian network is built and approved, and that it is ready to launch. But it still needs spectrum before it can sell service.
• Reliance says it welcomes Starlink’s competition, but that every operator, including Jio, must follow Indian law. It says its own satellite services are also awaiting clearances.
• The timing depends on the government finalising spectrum pricing and security checks for all three licence holders.

Sources

• Starlink on X, 16 October 2026
• Reliance Industries statement on X, 16 October 2026
• Business Standard (PTI): Satcom row: Starlink says India infra has govt approvals, ready for launch

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