NEW DELHI: Jio Platforms Ltd, India’s largest telecom service provider, has announced a partnership with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to offer Starlink’s broadband internet services to its customers in India. This marks the second collaboration between an Indian telecom giant and SpaceX, following Airtel’s announcement of a similar partnership just one day earlier.
"Our collaboration with SpaceX to bring Starlink to India strengthens our commitment and marks a transformative step toward seamless broadband connectivity for all. 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, Reliance Jio.
Musk has been attempting to enter India with Starlink to provide satellite-based broadband services for some time; however, the company has yet to receive the Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) license to operate in India. Currently, the Indian government has granted licenses to Bharti Group-backed OneWeb and the Jio-SES joint venture, Jio Satellite Communications, to provide satellite communication services. While both Musk’s Starlink and Amazon’s Project Kuiper have applied for licenses, neither has been approved by the government yet.
Interestingly, Indian telecom giants Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea have been at odds for the past few months over satellite spectrum. While Indian players favor the auction route, foreign players like Elon Musk's Starlink and Amazon's Project Kuiper have advocated for administrative allocation, aligning with global practices. Communication minister Jyotiraditya Scindia also expressed support for administrative allocation, citing global norms and technological constraints. The pricing and allocation are yet to be determined by the Department of Telecommunication.
According to the press release, this agreement—subject to SpaceX receiving the necessary authorizations to sell Starlink in India—enables Jio and SpaceX to explore ways in which Starlink can complement Jio’s offerings and how Jio can enhance SpaceX’s direct services to consumers and businesses. Additionally, Jio will make Starlink solutions available through its retail outlets and online storefronts.
In a joint statement, the companies said that through this partnership, they will leverage Jio’s position as the world’s largest mobile operator by data traffic and Starlink’s standing as the leading low Earth orbit satellite constellation operator to deliver reliable broadband services across India, including its most rural and remote regions.
Jio will not only offer Starlink equipment in its retail outlets but will also establish a mechanism to support customer service, installation, and activation. Furthermore, Jio and SpaceX are evaluating additional areas of cooperation to leverage their respective infrastructures, further enhancing India’s digital ecosystem. “We applaud Jio’s commitment to advancing India’s connectivity” said Gwynne Shotwell, President and Chief Operating Officer of SpaceX. “We are looking forward to working with Jio and receiving authorization from the Government of India to provide more people, organizations and businesses with access to Starlink’s high-speed internet services.”