Welcome competition in satellite communications, including Starlink: Reliance

Reliance Industries said Indian and foreign companies must follow the same rules for satellite communications, responding to Elon Musk’s criticism over Starlink’s India entry. The company welcomed competition, noting Jio’s satellite services are also awaiting government clearances before launch

Mumbai: Reliance Industries Ltd (REL) on Friday said that India’s rules apply equally to domestic and foreign companies in the field of satellite communications, amid Elon Musk’s criticism of the regulatory hurdles facing Starlink in the country.

In a statement, the company said, “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,” said REL in its statement.

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“In light of recent remarks about Reliance and the Indian market, we wish to place the facts on record. Like every Indian enterprise, Reliance has grown in an India that welcomes investment and innovation, homegrown or international, that improve the lives of the people,” the company added.

It further stated “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”. At Reliance, “we have never feared competition. We see it as the truest test of who serves the customer best. Jio itself entered India’s crowded telecom market in 2016 as the newest player, with not a single customer”, the company noted. In just 10 years, Jio has earned the trust of over 530 million customers and given Indians some of the best digital infrastructure and most affordable data in the world.

Starlink has secured a licence to provide satellite communication services in India, but the company still requires security-related clearances and other approvals before it can commercially launch its service.

Last week, Musk took a swipe at billionaire Mukesh Ambani over Starlink’s entry into India, calling him “Dear Prime Minister Ambani,” and accusing him of seeking to maintain a monopoly and questioning whether he would allow the satellite internet service to compete in the country.

In a post on X, Musk addressed Ambani as the “real boss of India” and apologised for not recognising his influence. “Dear Prime Minister Ambani, Please accept my humble apologies for not realizing that you are the real boss of India,” Musk posted. “Naturally, you would prefer to maintain your monopolistic exploitation of the great people of India, but would you nonetheless consider allowing Starlink to compete?” he added.