Reliance Jio Platforms, India’s largest telecom operator and a subsidiary of Reliance Industries, has announced a strategic partnership with SpaceX to bring Starlink satellite broadband services to Indian customers. This agreement, unveiled on March 12, 2025, comes just a day after Bharti Airtel, Jio's primary competitor, revealed a similar collaboration with SpaceX. Both deals are contingent upon SpaceX obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals from Indian authorities.The partnership between Jio and SpaceX aims to leverage their respective strengths to expand broadband access across India, particularly in remote and underserved regions. Jio plans to integrate Starlink into its existing broadband ecosystem, which includes JioFiber and JioAirFiber, to provide high-speed internet in geographically challenging areas. The collaboration will also see Jio distribute Starlink hardware through its extensive retail network and online platforms while establishing customer service systems for installation and activation support.Mathew Oommen, Group CEO of Reliance Jio, emphasized the transformative potential of this partnership. "Ensuring that every Indian, no matter where they live, has access to affordable and high-speed broadband remains Jio’s top priority. Our collaboration with SpaceX strengthens our commitment and marks a transformative step toward seamless broadband connectivity for all," he stated. Oommen highlighted that integrating Starlink into Jio’s offerings would enhance the reliability and accessibility of high-speed internet across the nation.Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO of SpaceX, also expressed optimism about the partnership. "We applaud Jio’s commitment to advancing India’s connectivity. 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.The agreement aligns with Jio's broader mission of bridging the digital divide in India by making reliable internet accessible to enterprises, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), and rural communities. By combining Jio's extensive data traffic capacity with SpaceX's low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite technology, the two companies aim to deliver cost-effective broadband solutions nationwide.This collaboration is particularly significant given India's vast population and diverse geography, which pose challenges for traditional broadband infrastructure. Satellite-based internet services like Starlink offer a viable solution for extending connectivity to areas where laying fiber-optic cables is impractical or too expensive.Interestingly, this move comes at a time when both Jio and Airtel have been exploring satellite internet solutions independently. While Airtel has partnered with OneWeb for its satellite broadband ambitions, Jio has been developing its own satellite service called JioSpaceFiber in collaboration with SES. Both companies have also previously opposed regulatory measures that could ease Starlink’s entry into India without an auction process.The competitive landscape in India's satellite broadband market is heating up as major players like Jio and Airtel vie for dominance. The partnerships with SpaceX signal a new chapter in this rivalry while underscoring the growing importance of satellite technology in achieving universal internet access.For now, the success of these partnerships hinges on regulatory approvals from Indian authorities such as IN-SPACe and the Department of Telecommunications. SpaceX has faced hurdles in the past; in 2022, it was forced to refund preorders for Starlink equipment after being called out for offering services without proper licensing. However, with renewed efforts and collaborations with established telecom operators like Jio and Airtel, SpaceX appears poised to make significant inroads into the Indian market.As these developments unfold, they could mark a transformative shift in India's digital landscape by bringing high-speed internet connectivity to millions of unconnected households and businesses across the country.
