Elon Musk stated that he intends to offer his Starlink satellite internet service at affordable prices in India to compete with Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio. This announcement comes just days before Jio's parent company launches India's largest initial public offering (IPO), targeting a valuation of $106 billion. Jio Platforms, which owns the telecom arm, is also awaiting final security clearance for its satellite venture, similar to Starlink.
Musk did not disclose specific pricing for India, where mobile data costs approximately 7.74 rupees ($0.08) per gigabyte. He emphasized the need for competitive pricing, stating, "Obviously, if Starlink is too expensive in India, no one will buy it, so SpaceX will need to make pricing affordable." He also noted that increased competition would benefit consumers in India by providing more choices, while suggesting that Ambani's profits would decrease but that he would not face bankruptcy.
Musk's comments are part of a series of posts on his social media platform X, where he has accused the Indian government and Ambani of delaying Starlink's entry into the market to favor Jio. The Indian government has denied any bias in the approval process, stating that all satellite ventures, including Starlink's and Jio's, are awaiting final security clearance. Musk also directly addressed Ambani in a post, referring to him as "Prime Minister Ambani" and inquiring if he would allow Starlink to compete. Reliance has not yet responded to Musk's statements.