Reliance responds to Musk’s Starlink allegations: ‘We welcome competition’

Reliance Industries on Friday (October 16) pushed back against Elon Musk’s allegations that Indian billionaires were trying to block Starlink’s entry into the country to protect their business interests, saying it was not afraid of competition and viewed it as the “truest test” of customer service.

The response came after the Tesla and SpaceX chief accused ‘certain oligarchs’ of using their influence to delay regulatory approvals for Starlink, his satellite internet service, alleging that they wanted to preserve their hold over the Indian market.

Competition in telecom market

In a statement, Reliance said India had welcomed investments and innovations, whether domestic or international, that improved people’s lives. It cited the growth of its telecom arm, Jio, as an example of how a new entrant could succeed in a competitive market.

“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,” the company said.

Musk’s allegations

Musk had earlier alleged that “certain oligarchs” were blocking Starlink’s entry to maintain their “monopolistic chokehold” on Indian consumers, hinting at Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani and billionaire Gautam Adani. “Unfortunately, we are being blocked by certain oligarchs in order to maintain their monopolistic chokehold on the Indian people. You can guess who they are,” Musk said.

Also read: Musk takes fresh swipe at Ambani, says Starlink will benefit Indian consumers

In another post, he questioned whether Ambani would allow Starlink to compete in India, asking: “Naturally, you would prefer to maintain your monopolistic exploitation of the great people of India, but would you nonetheless consider allowing Starlink to compete?”

Musk also questioned Ambani’s influence, asking, “Is Ambani the real boss of India?”, while alleging that Starlink had spent five years trying to comply with Indian regulations without receiving final approval.

‘We welcome competition’

Reliance, however, countered that its satellite communications venture, Jio Satellite, was also awaiting clearances from the government. It said Starlink should be subject to the same regulatory requirements as other operators.

Also read: Musk ups ante in Starlink row, sarcastically calls Ambani 'Prime Minister'

“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,” the statement said.