Elon Musk’s Starlink has signed a strategic partnership with India’s second-largest telecom company, Airtel, to bring satellite internet services to the country, intensifying competition with Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio. The agreement, contingent on government approval, will allow Starlink to leverage Airtel’s retail network for distribution across India.
Airtel stated on Tuesday that the companies would explore ways to utilize each other’s network infrastructure to improve coverage, though specific details were not disclosed. Additionally, Airtel will consider offering Starlink services to its business and enterprise customers.
The announcement follows Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent meeting with Musk in Washington, where they discussed technology, space, and innovation.
Starlink’s entry into India has faced regulatory hurdles, particularly a dispute with Reliance Jio over spectrum allocation. While Reliance Jio pushed for a spectrum auction, the Indian government aligned with Musk’s stance favoring administrative allocation, a move in line with global practices. Analysts suggest an auction would have required significantly higher investment, potentially discouraging foreign entrants.
Reliance Jio, which invested $19 billion in spectrum auctions, is concerned that Starlink could capture broadband users and eventually disrupt its data and voice services.
Airtel already has a similar partnership with global satellite operator Eutelsat, where its parent company holds a stake. Meanwhile, Eutelsat’s OneWeb and Reliance Jio have secured approvals from India’s space regulator to launch commercial satellite broadband services.