Reliance Welcomes Starlink Competition, Says Indian Rules Apply Equally To All

Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) on Friday welcomed competition in India’s satellite communications sector, including from Elon Musk’s Starlink, and said domestic and foreign companies must follow the same laws and regulatory procedures.

In a statement, the company said every player, including Reliance’s telecom arm Jio, must serve Indian consumers while complying with the country’s laws and policies.

Reliance said India welcomes domestic and foreign investment under equal rules, adding that Jio’s satellite services are also awaiting clearances. It said Jio entered the telecom market in 2016 and now serves over

530 million customers, offering affordable data and digital infrastructure.

Starlink has secured a licence but still needs security clearances and other approvals to launch commercially. The statement follows Musk’s criticism of Mukesh Ambani over Starlink’s India entry.

In a post on X, Musk sarcastically addressed Ambani as the ‘real boss of India’ and accused him of seeking to preserve a monopoly.

Dear Prime Minister Ambani,

Please accept my humble apologies for not realizing that you are the real boss of India.

Naturally, you would prefer to maintain your monopolistic exploitation of the great people of India, but would you nonetheless consider allowing Starlink to compete?

There are many areas of India, as there are in all countries, with no Internet access, which denies children the opportunity for education and for small businesses the opportunity to sell their goods to a global market. Starlink would change their lives for the better.

Thank you 🙏

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 9, 2026

Musk questioned whether Ambani would allow Starlink to compete in the Indian market, drawing attention to the regulatory hurdles the satellite internet provider faces before it can begin operations.

Reliance’s response emphasised that competition should remain open to Indian and international companies alike, provided they meet the same regulatory requirements.

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