Elon Musk has pledged to make Starlink’s satellite internet service affordable in India as he prepares to compete with Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio, intensifying tensions between the two billionaires just days before Jio’s parent company launches what is expected to be India’s largest-ever initial public offering (IPO).
Jio Platforms, which owns Reliance’s telecommunications business, is targeting a valuation of $106 billion in the planned offering. Meanwhile, Starlink, owned by Musk’s SpaceX, and Jio’s satellite internet venture are both awaiting final security clearance from the Indian government before launching their respective services.
Affordable data has been central to Jio’s success in India, where the company transformed the telecommunications market by offering low-cost internet services. Musk appears to be adopting a similar strategy as Starlink prepares to enter the country’s satellite internet market.
SpaceX has also been expanding its ambitions in telecommunications, with plans to enter the mobile carrier market, beginning in the United States.
Musk, however, has yet to disclose Starlink’s proposed prices for India, where mobile data costs approximately eight US cents per gigabyte, making it one of the cheapest markets in the world.
In a post on his social media platform, X, on Saturday, Musk acknowledged that Starlink would have to keep its prices low to attract customers in the country.
“Obviously, if Starlink is too expensive in India, no one will buy it, so SpaceX will need to make pricing affordable,” he said.
The billionaire argued that allowing Starlink to compete with established providers would give Indian consumers more options, even if the competition reduced Jio’s profits.
“The reality is that competition would greatly benefit the average citizen in India by giving them more choices, as it always does. Ambani’s profits will be lower, but he is not going out of business,” Musk added.
Musk Accuses Modi Government of Favouring Reliance Jio
Musk’s latest comments form part of a series of posts on X in which he has accused Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government and Ambani of delaying Starlink’s entry into one of the world’s largest internet markets to protect Jio’s dominant position.
The remarks represent a significant shift in Musk’s public relationship with Modi, with whom the billionaire has previously maintained a warm public rapport.
India’s government has denied allegations of favouritism in its approval process. Officials have maintained that the three satellite internet ventures seeking to launch services, including Starlink and Jio’s own satellite business, are all awaiting final security clearance.
Late on Friday, Musk directly taunted Ambani by addressing him as “Prime Minister Ambani” and asking whether he would consider allowing Starlink to compete in India.
The remark appeared to be a pointed criticism of Ambani’s influence in the country’s telecommunications industry and the delays surrounding Starlink’s proposed entry into the market.
Reliance had not responded to requests for comment on Musk’s remarks at the time of the report.
