Starlink to break into India with help from former rivals
Turns out it's the same companies that once fought to keep Starlink out.
Since 2021, Musk's SpaceX has been trying to break into India’s $53 billion telecom market with Starlink. But between regulatory red tape and opposition from India’s telecom giants, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, Starlink has been stuck in orbit.
Most notably, in 2022, Musk’s team jumped the gun and took Starlink preorders without a license. Indian regulators, of course, were not amused, forcing SpaceX to refund customers and slammed the brakes on its expansion.
Now, in a wild twist, Jio and Airtel—the same companies that once fought to keep Starlink out—are now its business partners. So, what changed?
Well, last year, India made a huge policy shift, choosing to allocate satellite spectrum instead of auctioning it off. This was a huge blow to Jio and Airtel, who had been pushing for an auction—likely to keep Starlink at bay. But for Musk, who lobbied for direct allocation all along, it was a massive win. So instead of fighting, Jio and Airtel did the next best thing: they joined him.
Both companies have now announced separate deals with SpaceX to sell Starlink equipment and offer its satellite broadband services. That’s especially wild, considering they already have their own satellite broadband plans (JioSpaceFiber and OneWeb). But I guess when you can’t beat the competition, you might as well get a cut of the profits.
Kelechi Edeh
Starlink, however, still needs government approval, and after its 2022 misstep, regulators will be watching closely. But with Jio and Airtel now backing the potential rollout, that approval seems more likely than ever. If all goes through, Starlink could change the game for India’s rural regions, where 670 million people still lack internet access.
The biggest question now, though, is pricing. Traditional broadband in India costs as little as $2 per month, while Starlink currently sits at $150 per month. However, analysts predict that with Jio and Airtel in the mix, pricing could drop to around ₹3,000 ($36) per month—still pricey though.
Meanwhile, this deal also comes just weeks after Musk met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington, where they reportedly discussed satellite tech and Starlink’s expansion. Whether this was a coincidence, or a well-timed chess move, Musk seems closer than ever to turning his former rivals into allies—and finally cracking India’s internet market.
