Ambani’s Reliance Breaks Silence on Dispute with Musk

A conflict has emerged between billionaire Mukesh Ambani and American billionaire Elon Musk regarding the launch of Starlink—a satellite-based internet service—in India. Reliance, the company owned by Mukesh Ambani, has now spoken out on this matter.

In a statement released on Friday (October 16), Reliance indicated that it welcomes competition from Elon Musk’s Starlink. The company also noted that its own satellite service is currently awaiting regulatory approval.

This marks the first formal response from Reliance following allegations that Ambani is creating obstacles to the launch of Starlink’s operations in India.

Elon Musk, one of the world’s wealthiest individuals, has repeatedly alleged that the Indian government and Mukesh Ambani are hindering his long-standing efforts to introduce Starlink in India.

It is worth noting that India is one of the world’s largest internet markets, with over a billion internet users. The Indian government has denied any claims of bias in its approval process.

While the statement issued on Friday does not explicitly name Elon Musk, it comes just days before ‘Jio Platforms’—the digital arm of Reliance Industries Limited—prepares for what could be the largest initial public offering (IPO) in Indian history, with a target of raising $108 billion.

Reliance’s telecom business operates under the brand ‘Jio.’ With over 530 million subscribers, it stands as a potential competitor to Starlink in the Indian internet market.

In its Friday statement, Reliance asserted that it has never feared competition. The statement was issued in response to “various comments made regarding Reliance and the Indian market,” with the objective of “presenting the accurate facts.”

The Long-Awaited Arrival of Satellite Internet in India

Elon Musk has made several remarks on the social media platform X—including the pointed question: Is Mukesh Ambani the “true controller” of India? Or, by referring to him as "Prime Minister Ambani," he raised the question of whether he would even allow Starlink a fair chance to compete.

These pointed remarks from Musk are quite significant, given his strong personal rapport with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They come at a time when India is actively seeking to attract foreign investment and is engaged in discussions regarding a trade agreement with the United States.

The Indian government has granted licenses to operate services to Starlink, Jio’s satellite internet division, and Eutelsat OneWeb (backed by Bharti Airtel). However, none of these companies have yet received the necessary security clearances to commence operations.

Satellite broadband technology has the potential to bring millions of people in India—many of whom reside in rural or remote areas—into the digital fold, as they currently remain without internet access.

Musk has indicated that he intends to keep Starlink’s pricing affordable to compete with Jio’s cost-effective internet plans in India. Jio established its footprint in India by offering low-cost data; Musk employed a similar strategy in markets like Kenya, where it significantly impacted the business of local telecommunications companies.

Source: Reuters