Jio & Airtel Partner with SpaceX to Bring Starlink to India as SpaceX Targets Its Biggest Market Outside the U.S.

In a landmark move that could redefine India’s satellite broadband landscape, Jio Platforms, the telecom subsidiary of Reliance Industries and India’s largest mobile network operator, announced a partnership with Elon Musk’s SpaceX on Wednesday.

The deal will allow Jio to distribute and integrate Starlink’s satellite-based internet services across the country, marking a critical step in bringing high-speed internet connectivity to remote and underserved regions.

This partnership, however, is not just another business deal for SpaceX—it is arguably one of the most important agreements in Starlink’s global expansion. With China off-limits to Starlink due to strict government regulations and its own competing satellite network, India is set to become the largest potential market for Starlink outside the United States.

Since its launch in 2019, Starlink has aggressively expanded across more than 60 countries, targeting regions where traditional fiber broadband infrastructure is weak. However, one of the largest markets in the world—China—has been completely inaccessible to SpaceX. The Chinese government has banned Starlink operations, citing national security concerns and instead developing its own state-controlled satellite broadband network, the Guowang constellation.

With China out of reach, India, home to over 1.4 billion people and more than 950 million mobile subscribers, has become the darling ground for satellite broadband dominance. If fully approved by regulators, this Jio-Starlink partnership could allow SpaceX to establish a dominant presence in India’s rapidly growing broadband market. No other country offers this scale of untapped demand.

For Jio, the partnership represents a chance to reinforce its dominance in India’s telecom sector. While it has already launched its own satellite broadband service, JioSpaceFiber, Starlink’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite technology could help it reach even the most isolated regions of India.

“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,” said Mathew Oomen, Group CEO of Reliance Jio, in a statement.

Jio, Airtel, and the New Satellite Broadband Race

Jio’s announcement came just hours after its biggest rival, Bharti Airtel, revealed a similar partnership with SpaceX to distribute Starlink services through its own channels. Airtel, India’s second-largest telecom operator, has been pushing to enter the satellite broadband market through OneWeb, a competitor to Starlink partly owned by Bharti Group.

This intensifying competition marks a new phase in India’s broadband wars, where traditional fiber and mobile networks are being supplemented by LEO satellite services to provide high-speed internet in rural areas.

Jio’s own satellite initiative, JioSpaceFiber, is already operational in select districts following regulatory approval from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe). Similarly, Airtel’s OneWeb venture is making significant strides toward commercial operations.

This raises three key questions:

1. Will Jio and Airtel continue supporting Starlink if their own satellite broadband services gain momentum?
2. Could this partnership evolve into a direct competition between Starlink, JioSpaceFiber, and OneWeb?
3. How will the Indian government regulate multiple satellite broadband operators in a sector that has been tightly controlled in the past?

Beating the Regulatory Hurdles

SpaceX’s previous attempts to enter the Indian market were met with regulatory resistance. In 2021, the company began taking pre-orders for Starlink terminals, promising to launch services soon. However, the Indian Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and IN-SPACe ordered SpaceX to stop selling Starlink connections until it secured the necessary licenses. The company was forced to refund customer pre-orders in 2022, marking a major setback.

Now, with both Jio and Airtel backing Starlink, regulatory approval appears far more likely. However, it is still unclear how long the process will take, especially since both Jio and Airtel previously opposed the Indian government’s move to allow Starlink’s entry via administrative clearance rather than an auction process.

Modi’s U.S. Visit and India’s Digital Push

The timing of this deal is no coincidence. Just weeks ago, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the United States, where he met with Elon Musk and U.S. President Donald Trump. Among the key topics discussed were India’s digital expansion, SpaceX’s role in global internet connectivity, and a new subsea cable agreement aimed at strengthening international broadband networks.

India has been aggressively pushing its Digital India initiative, a government-backed project aimed at expanding internet access to rural communities and bridging the digital divide. Satellite broadband plays a crucial role in this vision, making Starlink’s entry into India a perfect alignment with the country’s long-term connectivity goals.

Although there had been opposition to Starlink’s entry into India in the past, recent happenings indicate a shift that aligns with the growth interest of both Jio and Airtel, buoyed by the government’s broader connectivity strategy.

If approved, Starlink could become one of the most significant players in India’s broadband market, offering high-speed internet to millions of Indians who still lack reliable connectivity.

Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO of SpaceX reaffirmed the company’s commitment to the Indian market.

“We are looking forward to working with Jio and receiving authorization from the Government of India to provide more people, organizations, and businesses with access to Starlink’s high-speed internet services,” she said.