Airtel Claims Five-Year Lead Over Musk’s Starlink as India’s Satellite Internet Race Heats Up

Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal has claimed that his company-backed satellite venture, Eutelsat OneWeb, is significantly ahead of Elon Musk’s Starlink in the queue for approval to launch commercial services in India, intensifying the battle for the country’s emerging satellite internet market.

Speaking at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum 2026, Mittal said OneWeb had applied five years ago and its ground infrastructure had been ready for three years, but the company was still awaiting permission to begin operations.

“I think I am significantly ahead in the queue from him. I applied five years back,” Mittal said, adding that he would welcome approval even a few days before Starlink.

The remarks come amid a public dispute after Musk accused powerful business interests of trying to protect their dominance in India. Last week, he targeted Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani on social media platform X, sarcastically calling him “Prime Minister Ambani” and questioning his influence over government decisions.

The Centre has rejected allegations of unfair treatment, maintaining that all operators must comply with Indian laws, security requirements and spectrum-allocation rules.

Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has confirmed that Starlink, Reliance’s Jio Satcom and Bharti-backed OneWeb have obtained satellite communication licences. However, licensing does not automatically permit commercial operations. Spectrum allocation and security clearances remain essential.

The government is working towards finalising a revenue-based spectrum charging framework, with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the Department of Telecommunications nearing a decision on pricing.

The competition carries significant stakes as satellite broadband could connect remote villages and areas poorly served by conventional networks. Reliance is also developing satellite ambitions, including a proposed constellation of around 1,600 low-Earth-orbit satellites targeting connectivity across 600,000 villages.

With Jio’s 524 million customers and extensive distribution network, competition is expected to intensify. Reliance and SpaceX had also signed an agreement last year to explore offering Starlink services through Jio’s retail network.

Ultimately, the timing of regulatory clearances will determine when these companies can compete commercially and expand internet access for Indian consumers.