India’s telecom giants Jio Platform and Bharti Airtel have struck separate deals with Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service within hours of each other, reigniting their decades-long rivalry in a new frontier. Both agreements position the telecom giants as key distributors for Starlink’s equipment and services in India, pending regulatory approvals from IN-SPACe and the Department of Telecommunications, which SpaceX has been pursuing since 2022.
The move represents a strategic shift for both Indian telecom leaders, who had previously voiced that satellite companies like Starlink should be made to buy spectrum and pay licence fee. Despite their competitive history, both companies have now embraced SpaceX’s satellite internet technology as a complement to their existing services, potentially transforming connectivity across India’s remote regions.
What Airtel and Jio Platforms said on the partnership
Reliance Jio, India’s largest telecom operator, announced its partnership just hours after Airtel revealed a similar deal. The Mukesh Ambani-led company will integrate Starlink into its broadband ecosystem and sell Starlink equipment through its extensive retail network.
“By integrating Starlink into Jio’s broadband ecosystem, we are expanding our reach and enhancing the reliability and accessibility of high-speed broadband in this AI-driven era, empowering communities and businesses across the country,” said Mathew Oommen, Group CEO of Reliance Jio.
Airtel’s partnership, announced earlier on the same day, involves similar distribution arrangements. “Starlink will complement and enhance Airtel’s suite of products to ensure reliable and affordable broadband for our Indian customers – wherever they live and work,” said Gopal Vittal, Managing Director and Vice Chairman of Bharti Airtel.
From ‘opposition’ to strategic alliance
The partnerships mark a notable reversal in strategy, particularly for Airtel, which holds a 21.2% stake in Eutelsat OneWeb, a direct competitor to Starlink. Similarly, Jio has been developing its own satellite internet service, JioSpaceFiber, through a joint venture with SES.
By partnering with Starlink rather than competing directly, Jio and Airtel gain access to advanced satellite technology while potentially diluting the competitive threat.
The collaborations come on the heels of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States, where he met with Musk and President Donald Trump.
What Starlink coming to India means for users
For India’s consumers, particularly those in remote areas without reliable internet access, these partnerships could ultimately deliver high-speed connectivity to previously underserved regions, bridging the digital divide that persists despite India having nearly 950 million internet subscribers.
Gwynne Shotwell, President and Chief Operating Officer of SpaceX, expressed optimism about the partnerships, stating they look forward to “receiving authorization from the Government of India to provide more people, organizations and businesses with access to Starlink’s high-speed internet services.”