Elon Musk's Starlink To Reach India Soon? Satellite Internet Company To Take On Reliance & Airtel

Elon Musk has been provided with grand impetus ever since Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 US elections that came to pass on November 5. Musk has seen the fortunes of his company, Tesla, rise on the equity market. This in turn has also helped his personal net worth surge to new heights, taking it to the USD 300 billion mark.

Satellite Internet In India

As Musk marks a new era with the purported Department of Government Efficiency to DOGE and his influence in Washington, the focus also falls on Musk's other ventures, including Starlink. Starlink is Elon Musk's satellite-based internet network.

As per reports, Musk, in all probability, will enter the Indian internet market. The Indian market is far more competitive, as the current optical fibre-based broadband system is dominated by Reliance and Airtel. The two companies also have an oligopolistic hold over the mobile internet and telecom market.

In addition, these two companies are also looking to leave a mark in the satellite internet space as well. Reliance has been working a Luxemborug-based SES for its venture. Meanwhile, Airtel-backed OneWeb has also been aggressive in the progress that it has made when it comes to capturing the untapped market, with significant potential.

Starlink In India

In the middle of all of this is Elon Musk, the richest man on Earth, who has been working towards getting a foothold in the Indian market.

Starlink is currently seeking the rudimentary security clearances for a licence to offer satellite broadband services in India from the Indian government. The Elon Musk-led company is expected to get a permit if and when the company manages to satisfy the security conditions required by the government.

Availability of Starlink

Now, given the stakes Musk has with the incoming government/administration of the largest economy in the world, the game may just be gearing up to change.

The Price War

A development that has gone in Musk's favour is the Indian government's decision to grant the satellite broadband spectrum administratively, in opposition to the conventional method of spectrum auction that is followed for telecommunication systems.

One of the major points of contention is the pricing of these services. India has one of the lowest prices for mobile and broadband internet anywhere in the world.

In addition, these upcoming satellite internet could also cause a price war between the major players. How Elon Musk's Starlink manages to fight this battle in a price-sensitive market like India is something that remains to be seen.

Currently, Starlink has enlisted India as a territory on the 'waiting list', as far as its network availability is concerned.