Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has pushed back against Elon Musk's claim that India is blocking satellite internet competition, insisting the government has licensed every company that applied and does not allow monopolies in any sector.
Three licences, one still in the queue
Speaking at a press briefing at the India Mobile Congress on Friday, Scindia said Reliance Jio's satellite venture, Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb and Musk's Starlink have all received satcom licences. Amazon's Kuiper, now branded Amazon Leo, is in the application process and must follow the prescribed procedure to obtain authorisation.
"There is a lot of conversation about a particular party, but there are three parties that have got licences," the minister said, adding that the Department of Telecommunications remains technology-agnostic across satellite, fibre and mobile broadband.
What is still pending
Licensed operators cannot start commercial services yet. Two milestones remain: finalising the spectrum pricing framework — the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and the department are "close to taking the final decision" — and each company individually clearing security requirements assessed by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Scindia stressed that consumers should be free to choose their preferred service and provider in a competitive market, and that the government's role is to keep that choice open.
The Musk dispute
The remarks follow a public spat in which Musk called Starlink's India entry "troubling," saying the company had spent five years complying with every Indian law and requirement. The minister's response — and a sharp dismissal of Congress criticism of the policy — signals the government intends to hold its line: licences for all, but no commercial launch until pricing and security conditions are met.
For India's telecom market, the message is that satellite broadband will arrive as a complement to existing networks, with Jio, OneWeb and Starlink eventually competing for the same subscribers.
Sources:
- India doesn't allow monopoly in any sector, says Telecom Minister Scindia — Business Standard
- 'There's talk of one party, but three have got Satcom licences': Jyotiraditya Scindia — Economic Times
Three licences, one still in the queue
Speaking at a press briefing at the India Mobile Congress on Friday, Scindia said Reliance Jio's satellite venture, Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb and Musk's Starlink have all received satcom licences. Amazon's Kuiper, now branded Amazon Leo, is in the application process and must follow the prescribed procedure to obtain authorisation.
"There is a lot of conversation about a particular party, but there are three parties that have got licences," the minister said, adding that the Department of Telecommunications remains technology-agnostic across satellite, fibre and mobile broadband.
What is still pending
Licensed operators cannot start commercial services yet. Two milestones remain: finalising the spectrum pricing framework — the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and the department are "close to taking the final decision" — and each company individually clearing security requirements assessed by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Scindia stressed that consumers should be free to choose their preferred service and provider in a competitive market, and that the government's role is to keep that choice open.
The Musk dispute
The remarks follow a public spat in which Musk called Starlink's India entry "troubling," saying the company had spent five years complying with every Indian law and requirement. The minister's response — and a sharp dismissal of Congress criticism of the policy — signals the government intends to hold its line: licences for all, but no commercial launch until pricing and security conditions are met.
For India's telecom market, the message is that satellite broadband will arrive as a complement to existing networks, with Jio, OneWeb and Starlink eventually competing for the same subscribers.
Sources:
- India doesn't allow monopoly in any sector, says Telecom Minister Scindia — Business Standard
- 'There's talk of one party, but three have got Satcom licences': Jyotiraditya Scindia — Economic Times
