Reliance welcomes Starlink, says all operators must follow Indian law

Reliance Industries said it welcomes Starlink’s entry into India’s satellite communications market but insisted that all operators, including its own Jio venture, must follow Indian laws and meet regulatory requirements before launching services. The company made the statement on X amid criticism by SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk, who has alleged that vested interests are trying to block Starlink’s commercial entry into India. Reliance said the government applies the same process to Indian and foreign applicants and noted that Jio’s satellite services are also awaiting clearances. India’s Department of Telecommunications said Starlink, Jio’s satellite venture and Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb were at broadly similar stages, with security assessments underway and spectrum assignment pending applicable requirements. Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has said all licensed operators must meet security requirements before commercial operations begin, and that the government was close to a decision on the pricing framework. No date for that decision was specified. Starlink has an Indian telecommunications licence but still needs further approvals to begin commercial...