Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio, Elon Musk’s SpaceX partner to bring Starlink in India
Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio has teamed up with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to bring Starlink’s high-speed internet to its customers. This partnership comes just a day after Sunil Mittal’s Bharti Airtel sealed a similar deal, setting the stage for an intense battle in the country’s satellite internet space.
Like Bharti Airtel’s partnership, Jio Platforms’ agreement hinges on SpaceX securing the necessary approvals to offer Starlink, satellite-based internet services, in India.
The agreement between Jio and SpaceX enables both companies to explore how Starlink can enhance Jio’s services while leveraging Jio’s infrastructure to support SpaceX’s direct offerings for consumers and businesses.
Jio said that Starlink solutions will be available through its retail outlets and online storefronts, with a comprehensive support system for installation, activation, and customer service.
The partnership with SpaceX aims to expand internet access for enterprises, small and medium businesses, and communities across India, Jio said, adding that Starlink will work alongside JioAirFiber and JioFiber to provide connectivity in remote and difficult-to-reach areas.
“Our collaboration with SpaceX to bring Starlink to India strengthens our commitment and marks a transformative step toward seamless broadband connectivity for all,” noted Mathew Oommen, Group CEO, Reliance Jio.
“By integrating Starlink into Jio’s broadband ecosystem, we are expanding our reach and enhancing the reliability and accessibility of high-speed broadband in this AI-driven era, empowering communities and businesses across the country,” Oommen added.
On Tuesday, Bharti Airtel highlighted that by incorporating Starlink alongside its existing partnership with Eutelsat OneWeb, it seeks to expand nationwide coverage, particularly in underserved areas.
SpaceX’s Starlink is designed to provide high-speed, low-latency internet access worldwide, especially in remote and underserved areas. It operates through a constellation of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites at around 550 km altitude, significantly reducing latency compared to traditional geostationary satellites.
Starlink offers services to residential users, businesses, and government agencies, with a growing network of ground stations and phased-array user terminals.
“We are looking forward to working with Jio and receiving authorisation from the Government of India to provide more people, organisations and businesses with access to Starlink’s high-speed internet services,” said Gwynne Shotwell, President and Chief Operating Officer of SpaceX.
