Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite broadband is facing resistance from Mukesh Ambani, the head of Indian telecom giant Reliance Jio, as both billionaires vie for satellite services in India. Musk expressed his eagerness to launch Starlink in India, highlighting its potential benefits in remote areas lacking internet access or high-speed services. However, the disagreement stems from the distribution of satellite broadband spectrum by the Indian government. Starlink is advocating for license assignments without an auction, arguing that it should be treated as a shared natural resource. On the other hand, Reliance is calling for an auction to ensure fair competition and the participation of foreign satellite service providers.

Reliance Jio, with its significant market share in the telecom industry and wired broadband connections, aims to keep foreign competition at bay in the satellite broadband space. This rivalry is intensifying as Reliance continues to push for spectrum auctions, aligning with its stance against the demands of foreign companies. For Musk, the success of Starlink in India is crucial, considering the regulatory hurdles it faced in 2021 and his ongoing discussions with the Indian government to establish a Tesla factory.

The perspective on auctions put forth by Starlink is supported by the British OneWeb and Amazon’s Project Kuiper. However, Amazon has thus far made no comment on the matter, and there was no response from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, OneWeb, or SpaceX, the parent company of Starlink. The battle for satellite services in India reflects the high stakes involved for Musk and Ambani, two of the world’s wealthiest individuals, in capturing a share of the booming Indian market.