Mumbai, October 16, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Reliance Industries Ltd has welcomed competition in India’s satellite communications market, including from Elon Musk’s Starlink, while stressing that domestic and foreign companies must follow the same laws, policies and regulatory procedures.
The company issued the statement amid Musk’s recent criticism of Reliance and the regulatory hurdles facing Starlink’s entry into India.
“We welcome competition in satellite communications, including Starlink,” Reliance said, adding that every operator, including Jio, must serve Indian consumers while complying with the country’s laws.
“Every player, Jio included, must serve the people of India and abide by the laws and policies of the land,” the company said.
Reliance maintained that India’s openness to investment and innovation must operate within the framework of the rule of law. It said the government had made clear that the same process applies to all applicants, irrespective of whether they are Indian or foreign companies.
“Jio’s own satellite services await clearances,” the company said, underlining that its services, too, remain subject to regulatory approvals.
Reliance also defended its approach to competition, pointing to Jio’s entry into India’s telecom market in 2016 as a new operator without an existing customer base. The company said Jio had since gained the trust of more than 530 million customers, offering digital infrastructure and affordable data services.
Starlink has secured a licence to provide satellite communication services in India but still requires security-related clearances and other approvals before it can begin commercial operations.
The exchange follows a post by Musk on X last week in which he sarcastically addressed Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani as the “real boss of India” and accused him of preferring to maintain a monopoly rather than allow Starlink to compete.
“Dear Prime Minister Ambani, Please accept my humble apologies for not realizing that you are the real boss of India,” Musk wrote, before asking whether Starlink would be allowed to compete in the country.
Reliance’s response framed the issue around equal regulatory treatment and consumer choice, saying competition remained the test of which company best served customers.
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