Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman of Bharti Airtel, said on Wednesday that the group has been waiting for approval for satellite internet and is therefore ahead of Elon Musk's Starlink in the queue for regulatory approvals in India. Mittal also noted that Bharti has been waiting for clearance for five years and is ready to roll out its satellite connectivity services. However, he called for lowering digital taxes so it can act as an economic multiplier.
During a panel discussion at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in New Delhi, Mittal said, “We are all awaiting our approvals. I think I am significantly ahead of him in the queue. I applied five years back. I have had my patent ready for the last three years. My settlers have been hovering over India for the last five years. We don't have the permission, so we'd be very happy to get it at least a few days before him (Elon Musk)".
His comment came amid the tussle between Starlink founder Elon Musk and India after Musk accused powerful Indian business interests — and specifically Mukesh Ambani — of using political influence to block Starlink’s entry into India.
Musk expressed concern about bureaucratic hurdles delaying Starlink's entry into the Indian market.
India has insisted that Starlink clear security requirements before launching commercial services.
Dismissing Musk's allegations, Indian telecom operators have said they have also been waiting for government approvals.