Reliance Industries on Friday said it welcomes competition in India’s satellite communications market, including from Elon Musk-led Starlink, while stressing that all operators must comply with the country’s
laws and regulatory framework.
In a statement issued amid recent remarks about Reliance and the Indian market, the company said it supported investment and innovation from both domestic and international players, provided they operated within the rule of law.
“We welcome competition in satellite communications, including Starlink. Every player, Jio included, must serve the people of India and abide by the laws and policies of the land,” Reliance said.
Statement from Reliance Industries
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.
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.
We welcome competition in satellite communications, including Starlink. Every player, Jio included, must serve the people of India and abide by the laws and policies of the land.
— Reliance Industries Limited (@RIL_Updates) October 16, 2026
The company also said its own satellite communication services under Jio were awaiting regulatory clearances, emphasising that the same approval process should apply to Indian and foreign applicants.
“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,” the statement said.
Reliance said it viewed competition as an essential part of serving consumers and cited Jio’s entry into the telecom sector in 2016 as an example of its approach.
“At Reliance, we have never feared competition. We see it as the truest test of who serves the customer best,” the company said.
Jio entered India’s telecom market in 2016 as a new player and has since grown to serve more than 530 million customers, according to Reliance. The company said Jio had helped build digital infrastructure and made data services among the most affordable in the world.
“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,” it said.
The statement comes amid growing attention on competition in India’s satellite broadband market, where Starlink and Jio’s satellite services are seeking to establish a presence. Reliance reiterated that an open market for investment and innovation must be supported by a consistent regulatory framework.
“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,” the company said.
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