Starlink responds to Reliance as Elon Musk row drags on: ‘Ready to connect India with high-speed internet’

Starlink on Monday responded to Reliance Industries Limited’s statement over Elon Musk’s remarks on Indian markets, saying that it has worked closely with the country's regulators with all the requisite government approvals.

In a post on X, Musk’s company said it was ready to “connect India with high-speed internet”.

“We have worked closely with regulators, industry and operators in India for 5+ years, and built a network of dedicated systems, gateways, and other infrastructure all in-country to exclusively serve Indian traffic safely and securely - and all with the requisite government approvals. Starlink is ready to connect India with high-speed internet,” it said.

This comes after Reliance Industries on Friday issued a statement to Musk's recent remarks about the Indian market and its role in Starlink's entry into the country, saying it has never feared competition and that every player must abide by Indian laws and policies.

Reliance said the government applies the same process to every applicant, Indian or foreign, adding that Jio's own satellite services were also awaiting clearances.

“In light of recent remarks about Reliance and the Indian market, we wish to place the facts on record. Like every Indian enterprise, Reliance has grown in an India that welcomes investment and innovation, homegrown or international, that improve the lives of the people,” it said in the statement.

What Reliance said

Reliance said it welcomed competition in satellite communications, including from Starlink, while emphasising that all players must follow the country's laws.

“That openness rests on the rule of law. As the Government of India has stated, it applies the same process to every applicant, Indian or foreign. Jio's own satellite services await clearances. At Reliance, we have never feared competition. We see it as the truest test of who serves the customer best. Jio itself entered India's crowded telecom market in 2016 as the newest player, with not a single customer. In just ten years, Jio has earned the trust of over 530 million customers and given Indians some of the best digital infrastructure and most affordable data in the world,” Reliance's statement read.

We welcome competition in satellite communications, including Starlink, Reliance Industries further said, adding that every player, Jio included, “must serve the people of India and abide by the laws and policies of the land,” the company stated.