India has refuted Elon Musk's claims that the satellite internet service – Starlink —– SpaceX – has been unfairly prevented from launching in the country. As SpaceX attempts to turn years of regulatory work and cooperation with India's largest telecom operator into commercial success, this stance also highlights the challenges it faces in advancing its business in one of the world's largest internet markets.
On Wednesday, Musk accused unnamed "oligarchs" of preventing Starlink from launching in India in order to maintain what he described as their "monopolistic control" over the country, but he did not name them or provide any evidence. He called this so-called obstruction a "crime against the Indian people" and stated that Starlink could bring affordable and high-speed internet services to those without access to the internet.
Hours later, India's Ministry of Communications refuted these claims, stating that its satellite communication regulatory framework is "fair and non-discriminatory." In a statement, the ministry mentioned that Starlink and two other licensed satellite operators are currently in "roughly the same regulatory phase." The statement also added that all three companies are undergoing security reviews, which must be completed before they can apply for spectrum. Spectrum refers to the radio frequencies that satellites use to transmit signals.
It has taken more than five years for Starlink to attempt to enter the Indian market. With over 1 billion internet subscribers, India represents a huge potential market. However, despite obtaining key regulatory approvals last year and establishing partnerships with two telecommunications giants, Jio and Bharti Airtel, Starlink has yet to launch its commercial services. SpaceX even formed a local team to prepare for the launch and appointed a former Payoneer executive in December to be in charge of business operations in India.
Hours before Musk made the aforementioned remarks, Starlink's Vice President of Business Operations, Lauren Dreyer, also appeared at the Mobile Communications Conferences of India ( India Mobile Congress ) held in New Delhi, reiterating the company's commitment to the Indian market. Dreyer said, "We are ready to serve India." She added that Starlink hopes to help achieve the national goal of universal connectivity proposed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Starlink indicates that the company already has over 20 gateway sites in India – which are ground stations that connect satellites to the internet – as well as hundreds of ground antennas, and has adjusted its operations to meet India's requirements in terms of regulation, security, and data sovereignty. In addition, SpaceX has always positioned its satellite network as a complement to India's terrestrial telecommunications network, rather than a substitute for it.
SpaceX first attempted to launch Starlink in India in 2021. However, in early 2022, the Indian government pointed out that the company was providing satellite internet services without having obtained the necessary licenses and subsequently demanded that they refund the pre-purchase payments for the equipment.
Starlink In the past, there have also been disputes with India's largest telecom operator regarding how satellite spectrum should be allocated. Starlink advocated for an administrative allocation method, while Reliance Jio believed that it should be allocated through auctions – the latter approach might increase the cost for Starlink to enter the Indian market. In the end, India sided with the approach favored by Starlink and decided to allocate satellite spectrum administratively rather than through auctions.
Jio and Airtel, India's two largest telecommunications companies, are also advancing their respective satellite internet services, despite having agreed to distribute Starlink in India. Jio is collaborating with satellite operator SES to launch satellite broadband services, while Airtel is a major supporter of Eutelsat OneWeb; the latter is also another satellite operator in India that has obtained a license.
Although the launch time of Starlink in India is still unclear, the company has already launched Starlink Mobile in neighboring Bangladesh this week. This service allows ordinary mobile phones to directly connect to satellites.
Starlink, India's Ministry of Communications, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel have not immediately responded to requests for comments.
