Elon Musk’s 2025 Moves For India, Starlink Joins Forces With Jio And Airtel. A Game Changer For India’s Internet Revolution?

Starlink is finally making its way into India after years of regulatory roadblocks.

On Tuesday, Bharti Airtel, India’s second-largest telecom provider, announced a partnership with SpaceX’s Starlink to bring satellite internet services to the country. Under this deal, Starlink will provide its tech, while Airtel will use its local expertise to help expand internet connectivity.

According to the press release, the two companies will work together to –

—Offer Starlink equipment in Airtel’s retail stores
—Provide satellite internet services to businesses
—Connect remote communities, schools, and healthcare centers

Of course, this all depends on whether Starlink gets the green light from the Indian government.

Why Did It Take So Long?

Starlink’s entry into India has been delayed by tough regulatory approvals, national security concerns, and pushback from local telecom giants. The government has kept a tight grip on the industry, making it difficult for foreign players to operate freely.

In November last year, India’s telecom minister said Starlink could get a license if it met security and regulatory conditions. However, things took a turn in December when law enforcement reportedly found Starlink equipment during a drug bust. A few weeks later, there were claims that smuggled Starlink devices were being used by militant groups in conflict-hit Manipur.

Elon Musk quickly dismissed these reports, saying, “This is false. Starlink satellite beams are turned off over India.” But the Indian government wasn’t convinced, it launched a high-level investigation and even asked Starlink for customer data, which the company refused to provide, citing privacy laws.

Despite all this, recent reports suggest Starlink is close to securing approval from India’s space regulator. Next up, it’ll need an operator’s license from the Department of Telecommunications and spectrum allocation before it can officially roll out its services.

Starlink India Moves

Starlink’s entry into India has been anything but smooth.

Back in November 2021, the company officially registered its business in the country. But just weeks later, the Indian government issued a warning telling people not to sign up for Starlink, as it didn’t have the necessary licenses yet.

At the time, Sanjay Bhargava, who was leading Starlink India, said they planned to apply for a commercial license soon and hoped to roll out services by April 2022, aiming for 200,000 devices by the end of the year.

That plan never took off.

By January 2022, Bhargava quit, and the government ordered Starlink to refund 5,000 customers who had preordered devices, since the company still hadn’t secured the required approvals.

So, What Changed Before the Airtel-Jio Deal?

One major obstacle for Musk was Mukesh Ambani, India’s richest and most influential businessman. His company, Reliance Jio, argued that satellite spectrum should be auctioned instead of directly allocated to private players like Starlink. Musk, on the other hand, backed global best practices that recommend direct allocation.

Fast forward to last month, Musk met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington to discuss space tech, mobility, and innovation. The meeting sparked speculation about Musk’s growing business interest in India. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in, saying Musk met Modi because he “wants to do business in India.”

At the same time, Tesla started ramping up hiring efforts in India, while Trump criticized India’s high tariffs on automobile imports, threatening a tit-for-tat response.

Jio Jumps In

In an unprecedented move, Reliance Jio too has announced a partnership with SpaceX’s Starlink to bring satellite internet to India. Under the deal –

—Jio will sell Starlink equipment in its retail stores and online
—Jio will provide installation support to users

However, the deal still hinges on government approval before SpaceX can officially operate in India.

Shares of Reliance Industries Ltd. inched up 0.71% on Tuesday, closing at ₹1,247.25. But beyond the stock market, the real action is happening in India’s telecom sector, where Jio and Airtel are now taking their rivalry beyond mobile networks – straight into space.

Who’s Leading India’s Telecom Sector?

As of December 2024, India had 1.06 billion active wireless subscribers. Jio, owned by Mukesh Ambani, held a commanding 40.15% market share, while Airtel followed at 33.45%.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, TRAI oversees the sector, handling everything from spectrum allocation to dispute resolution between telecom giants. But TRAI has faced criticism in the past for allegedly favoring Ambani’s Jio, giving it an unusually long testing period and allowing it to bypass certain competition rules that other players like Vodafone and Airtel had to comply with.

Meanwhile, traditional telecom players have long argued that satellite operators like Starlink should follow the same pricing and regulatory rules they do. Reports suggest that Indian consumers may have to shell out around $90 per month for Starlink’s services, plus a hefty $1,900 annual subscription fee that includes the cost of the device.

Can Starlink Start Operating in India Now?

Not just yet. Even with its partnerships with Airtel and Jio, Starlink still needs approval from India’s Department of Telecommunications before launching its services.

Now, Airtel’s parent company, Bharti Enterprises, might just have a learning here as it knows a thing or two about messy foreign partnerships. Back in 2007, Bharti teamed up with Walmart to open retail stores across India. What followed was a five-year rollercoaster of accusations over investment rule violations, mismanagement, and regulatory red tape. The partnership fell apart in 2013, and Walmart later entered India by acquiring Flipkart for a whopping $16 billion.

Why Starlink Could Be a Game-Changer for India

India’s internet scene is a tale of two worlds. Cities enjoy high-speed broadband from Jio and Airtel, but millions in rural areas still struggle with patchy or non-existent connectivity. Despite government efforts, internet penetration in India remains around 47%, leaving over 700 million people without reliable access.

This is where Starlink’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites come in. Instead of relying on traditional infrastructure like fibre-optic cables or cell towers, Starlink beams the internet directly from space. That could be a lifeline for remote villages in the Himalayas, isolated islands, and rural communities where traditional connectivity solutions are too expensive or impractical.

The Big Hurdles. Pricing & Regulations

However, for Starlink to truly take off in India, two things need to happen – 

Affordable Pricing – Right now, Starlink’s hardware costs between ₹25,000-₹35,000, with a monthly fee of ₹5,000-₹7,000. That’s way higher than India’s standard broadband prices of ₹700-₹1,500 per month. If SpaceX wants mass adoption, it may need India-specific pricing or government-backed subsidies.

Regulatory Green Lights – SpaceX still has to secure approvals on spectrum allocation, local data storage rules, security clearances, and landing rights. It has already faced issues in India for accepting pre-orders before obtaining the necessary licenses, which led to a temporary service suspension.

The Last Bit 

Starlink’s entry into India has not been smooth so far, but with partnerships now in place with both Jio and Airtel, the pieces are slowly falling into place. If SpaceX can overcome regulatory hurdles and bring down costs, it might just transform India’s connectivity ecosystem one satellite at a time.